- A
ZRS
Why wrong: ZRS protects against zone outages in one region, but it does not provide a secondary region replica.
- B
LRS
Why wrong: LRS keeps copies within one datacenter or storage stamp and does not provide geo-replication or secondary read access.
- C
RA-GRS
RA-GRS replicates data to a paired secondary region and allows read access to that secondary endpoint. This fits the need to test or inspect the secondary copy during a disaster exercise.
- D
Cool
Why wrong: Cool is a blob access tier, not a storage redundancy model, so it does not address regional replication.
Question 72 of 1,170
RA-GRS: Read-Access Geo-Redundant Storage
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company wants its file share data to be automatically copied to a paired Azure region, and administrators want to read the secondary copy during a disaster test. Which redundancy option should they use?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
RA-GRS
RA-GRS (Read-Access Geo-Redundant Storage) is correct because it replicates data to a paired secondary region asynchronously and provides read-only access to that secondary copy. This allows administrators to read the secondary copy during a disaster test without impacting the primary region. ZRS and LRS do not replicate to a paired region, and Cool is a tier, not a redundancy option.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ZRS
Why it's wrong here
ZRS protects against zone outages in one region, but it does not provide a secondary region replica.
When this WOULD be correct
ZRS would be correct if the question required high availability within a single region by replicating across availability zones, and did not require cross-region replication or read access to a secondary copy.
- ✗
LRS
Why it's wrong here
LRS keeps copies within one datacenter or storage stamp and does not provide geo-replication or secondary read access.
When this WOULD be correct
LRS would be correct if the question specified that cost is the primary concern and the data does not need to be available in another region, or if the application can handle its own cross-region replication.
- ✓
RA-GRS
Why this is correct
RA-GRS replicates data to a paired secondary region and allows read access to that secondary endpoint. This fits the need to test or inspect the secondary copy during a disaster exercise.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Cool
Why it's wrong here
Cool is a blob access tier, not a storage redundancy model, so it does not address regional replication.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asks about cost-effective storage for infrequently accessed data in Azure Blob Storage, where the data can tolerate lower availability and higher retrieval costs. Cool tier would be the correct answer.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓RA-GRSCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
RA-GRS replicates data to a paired secondary region and allows read access to that secondary endpoint. This fits the need to test or inspect the secondary copy during a disaster exercise.
✗ZRSWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
ZRS replicates data synchronously across availability zones within a single region, not to a paired Azure region, so it does not meet the requirement for cross-region disaster recovery.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
ZRS would be correct if the question required high availability within a single region by replicating across availability zones, and did not require cross-region replication or read access to a secondary copy.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'zone-redundant' with 'geo-redundant' or think ZRS provides cross-region redundancy, when it only protects against zone failures within one region.
✗LRSWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
LRS only replicates data within a single datacenter in the primary region, so it does not copy data to a paired Azure region, failing the requirement for automatic cross-region replication.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
LRS would be correct if the question specified that cost is the primary concern and the data does not need to be available in another region, or if the application can handle its own cross-region replication.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse LRS with geo-redundant options, or think that local redundancy is sufficient for disaster recovery without reading the requirement for a secondary copy in a paired region.
✗CoolWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Cool is an access tier for Azure Blob Storage, not a redundancy option for Azure Files. It does not provide replication to a paired region or read access to a secondary copy.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asks about cost-effective storage for infrequently accessed data in Azure Blob Storage, where the data can tolerate lower availability and higher retrieval costs. Cool tier would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'Cool' with a redundancy option because it sounds like a storage class that might involve replication, or they may mistakenly think it relates to disaster recovery due to the word 'cool' implying low activity.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'redundancy options' with 'access tiers' (like Cool) or assume that any geo-replication option (like GRS) automatically provides read access, but only RA-GRS explicitly enables reading the secondary copy without initiating a failover.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RA-GRS uses geo-replication with a 15-minute recovery point objective (RPO) for most data, meaning changes in the primary region are asynchronously replicated to the secondary region within that window. The read-access endpoint (e.g., `-secondary.blob.core.windows.net`) allows read operations on the secondary copy even when the primary is healthy, enabling disaster testing without failover. Under the hood, Azure Storage maintains a separate write log for geo-replication, and the secondary region is typically hundreds of miles away to ensure geographic isolation.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Implement and Manage Storage — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All AZ-104 questions
1,170 questions across all exam domains
- →
AZ-104 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
AZ-104 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related AZ-104 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage Azure Identities and Governance practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Manage Azure Identities and Governance.
Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Storage.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Deploy and Manage Azure Compute.
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Virtual Networking.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources.
AZ-104 Azure RBAC practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure RBAC.
AZ-104 storage account practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 storage account.
AZ-104 virtual network practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 virtual network.
AZ-104 NSG practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 NSG.
AZ-104 Azure Monitor practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure Monitor.
AZ-104 backup practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 backup.
AZ-104 managed identity practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 managed identity.
Practice this exam
Start a free AZ-104 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: RA-GRS — RA-GRS (Read-Access Geo-Redundant Storage) is correct because it replicates data to a paired secondary region asynchronously and provides read-only access to that secondary copy. This allows administrators to read the secondary copy during a disaster test without impacting the primary region. ZRS and LRS do not replicate to a paired region, and Cool is a tier, not a redundancy option.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More AZ-104 practice questions
- A storage automation service principal must upload, read, and delete blob data in one container by using Microsoft Entra…
- A subnet contains several application servers. You need to allow inbound TCP 3389 only from a management subnet named Su…
- A subscription admin wants to investigate who changed a resource and also review the platform-generated events for that…
- Based on the exhibit, which Azure feature should the administrator use to track this kind of platform-wide service issue…
- An administrator wants a script running on an Azure VM to create a resource in Azure without storing any passwords or cl…
- A PowerShell script runs on an Azure VM every night and uses Azure CLI commands to create tags and VM resources in anoth…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.