- A
Move the NIC NSG allow rule to priority 50.
Why wrong: That still does not overcome the subnet-level deny rule that is evaluated first.
- B
Add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at priority 150 for TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG.
This places a more specific allow ahead of the subnet deny, so only the intended tier is permitted.
- C
Replace the subnet deny rule with a rule for the AzureLoadBalancer service tag.
Why wrong: AzureLoadBalancer is for load balancer probes, not for restricting east-west application traffic.
- D
Remove the backend VM from AppASG and allow traffic by subnet only.
Why wrong: That does not solve the priority conflict and reduces rule precision and manageability.
Question 709 of 1,170
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 backend VM belongs to AppASG and listens on TCP 8443. The subnet NSG has a deny rule at priority 200 that blocks TCP 8443 from VirtualNetwork to any destination. The backend VM's NIC NSG has an allow rule at priority 100 for TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG. Web VMs in WebASG still cannot connect. What should you change to allow only the web tier while keeping other virtual network traffic blocked?
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
✓
Add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at priority 150 for TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG.
In Azure, network security group (NSG) rules are evaluated in priority order, and subnet NSG rules are evaluated before NIC NSG rules for inbound traffic. The subnet NSG has a deny rule at priority 200 that blocks TCP 8443 from VirtualNetwork to any destination, which overrides the NIC NSG allow rule because the subnet deny is evaluated first. To allow traffic from WebASG to AppASG while still blocking other virtual network traffic, you must add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at a higher priority (e.g., 150) than the deny rule, explicitly permitting TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG.
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.
- ✗
Move the NIC NSG allow rule to priority 50.
Why it's wrong here
That still does not overcome the subnet-level deny rule that is evaluated first.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the subnet NSG has an allow rule for the traffic but the NIC NSG has a deny rule at a higher priority, moving the NIC allow rule to a lower priority number (higher priority) would allow the traffic. For example, if the subnet NSG allows TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG and the NIC NSG has a deny rule at priority 200, moving an allow rule to priority 100 would override the deny.
- ✓
Add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at priority 150 for TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG.
Why this is correct
This places a more specific allow ahead of the subnet deny, so only the intended tier is permitted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Replace the subnet deny rule with a rule for the AzureLoadBalancer service tag.
Why it's wrong here
AzureLoadBalancer is for load balancer probes, not for restricting east-west application traffic.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a scenario where the backend VM is behind an Azure Load Balancer and the issue is that health probes from the load balancer are being blocked by a subnet NSG rule. In that case, adding an allow rule for the AzureLoadBalancer service tag at a higher priority would resolve the health probe failure while maintaining other restrictions.
- ✗
Remove the backend VM from AppASG and allow traffic by subnet only.
Why it's wrong here
That does not solve the priority conflict and reduces rule precision and manageability.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a scenario where the backend VM must be accessible from any VM in the same subnet (e.g., for management or backup purposes), and the use of ASGs is not required or is causing complexity. The question would specify that subnet-level access is acceptable and that ASG-based filtering is unnecessary.
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.
✓Add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at priority 150 for TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This places a more specific allow ahead of the subnet deny, so only the intended tier is permitted.
✗Move the NIC NSG allow rule to priority 50.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The NIC NSG rule at priority 100 already allows traffic from WebASG to AppASG on TCP 8443, but the subnet NSG deny rule at priority 200 blocks it. Since subnet NSG rules are evaluated before NIC NSG rules, traffic is denied regardless of NIC rule priority. Moving the NIC rule to a higher priority does not override the subnet deny rule.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the subnet NSG has an allow rule for the traffic but the NIC NSG has a deny rule at a higher priority, moving the NIC allow rule to a lower priority number (higher priority) would allow the traffic. For example, if the subnet NSG allows TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG and the NIC NSG has a deny rule at priority 200, moving an allow rule to priority 100 would override the deny.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often believe that increasing the priority (lowering the number) of a rule makes it more effective, but they overlook that subnet NSG rules are evaluated before NIC NSG rules, so a subnet deny cannot be bypassed by a NIC allow regardless of priority.
✗Replace the subnet deny rule with a rule for the AzureLoadBalancer service tag.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The subnet NSG deny rule blocks TCP 8443 from VirtualNetwork to any destination. Replacing it with a rule for AzureLoadBalancer service tag would allow health probe traffic from the load balancer, but it would not allow traffic from WebASG to AppASG because the deny rule is removed, potentially allowing all virtual network traffic, which violates the requirement to keep other traffic blocked.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a scenario where the backend VM is behind an Azure Load Balancer and the issue is that health probes from the load balancer are being blocked by a subnet NSG rule. In that case, adding an allow rule for the AzureLoadBalancer service tag at a higher priority would resolve the health probe failure while maintaining other restrictions.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that since the load balancer is involved (implied by the scenario), the AzureLoadBalancer service tag is the key to allowing traffic, but they overlook that the specific requirement is to allow only web tier traffic while blocking other virtual network traffic, which the service tag rule does not address.
✗Remove the backend VM from AppASG and allow traffic by subnet only.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Removing the backend VM from AppASG would break the application security group association, preventing the NIC NSG rule from matching traffic from WebASG. Additionally, allowing traffic by subnet only would permit all VMs in the subnet, violating the requirement to allow only the web tier.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a scenario where the backend VM must be accessible from any VM in the same subnet (e.g., for management or backup purposes), and the use of ASGs is not required or is causing complexity. The question would specify that subnet-level access is acceptable and that ASG-based filtering is unnecessary.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that removing the ASG simplifies the configuration and that subnet-level rules are easier to manage, overlooking the need for granular, tier-specific access control.
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 often assume NIC NSG rules can override subnet NSG rules due to higher priority, but in Azure, subnet NSG rules are evaluated before NIC NSG rules for inbound traffic, so a subnet deny will always block traffic regardless of NIC allow rules.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure NSG rules are processed in priority order (lowest number first) for both inbound and outbound traffic, and subnet NSG rules are always evaluated before NIC NSG rules for inbound traffic. This means a subnet-level deny rule at priority 200 will block traffic even if a NIC-level allow rule exists at a higher priority (lower number), because the subnet rule is evaluated first. In a real-world scenario, this layered security model is critical for defense-in-depth, where subnet NSGs enforce broad policies and NIC NSGs provide fine-grained per-instance controls, but subnet-level denies can override NIC-level allows if not carefully prioritized.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at priority 150 for TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG. — In Azure, network security group (NSG) rules are evaluated in priority order, and subnet NSG rules are evaluated before NIC NSG rules for inbound traffic. The subnet NSG has a deny rule at priority 200 that blocks TCP 8443 from VirtualNetwork to any destination, which overrides the NIC NSG allow rule because the subnet deny is evaluated first. To allow traffic from WebASG to AppASG while still blocking other virtual network traffic, you must add an allow rule in the subnet NSG at a higher priority (e.g., 150) than the deny rule, explicitly permitting TCP 8443 from WebASG to AppASG.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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