The answer is a service SAS scoped to a single blob with read permission and an expiry time. This is correct because a service SAS allows granular delegation of access at the blob level, meaning you can grant temporary read-only rights to exactly one blob without exposing the container or any other blobs. By setting the expiry time to 24 hours, the token automatically becomes invalid, ensuring the partner cannot access the data beyond the required window. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of shared access signatures versus account-level keys or container SAS, which would allow listing or broader access. A common trap is choosing a container SAS with read permission, but that still permits listing all blobs in the container. Remember the mnemonic: “Single blob, single scope, service SAS is your hope.”
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
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 partner needs temporary read-only access to a single blob in a storage account for the next 24 hours. The partner must not be able to list other blobs or write data. What should you provide?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A service SAS scoped to the blob with read permission and an expiry time.
A service SAS scoped to a specific blob with read permission and an expiry time provides the exact temporary, read-only access required. It restricts access to only that blob, prevents listing other blobs, and automatically expires after 24 hours, meeting all security and functional requirements.
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.
✗
The storage account access key.
Why it's wrong here
The account key grants broad access to the storage account.
✓
A service SAS scoped to the blob with read permission and an expiry time.
Why this is correct
This is the least-privilege option for temporary, blob-specific access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A private endpoint to the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
A private endpoint does not by itself grant the required authorization.
✗
Contributor access to the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
Contributor is excessive and not limited to one blob.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a service SAS with an account SAS or storage account keys, mistakenly thinking any SAS or key can be scoped, but only a service SAS can be scoped to a single blob with precise permissions and expiry.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A service SAS is a URI that grants delegated access to a specific Azure Storage resource, such as a blob, with granular permissions (read, write, delete, list, etc.) and an expiry time. Under the hood, the SAS token is signed with the storage account key and includes parameters like 'sp=r' (read permission), 'spr=https' (protocol), and 'se=...' (expiry). In a real-world scenario, this is ideal for granting a partner temporary access to a specific file (e.g., a log or report) without exposing the rest of the storage account or requiring key rotation.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
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: A service SAS scoped to the blob with read permission and an expiry time. — A service SAS scoped to a specific blob with read permission and an expiry time provides the exact temporary, read-only access required. It restricts access to only that blob, prevents listing other blobs, and automatically expires after 24 hours, meeting all security and functional requirements.
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.
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Question Discussion
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