- A
Share the storage account key and ask the contractor to stop using it after two hours.
Why wrong: A storage account key is a long-lived secret that grants very broad access. It does not expire automatically after two hours, and manual cleanup is easy to miss. This approach is much less secure than a scoped temporary SAS.
- B
Create an account SAS with broad permissions and send it to the contractor by email.
Why wrong: An account SAS is still a shared secret and can be broader than necessary. It is better than a storage key, but it is not the most secure choice when Entra ID is available. It also does not give the least-privilege, identity-based control described in the scenario.
- C
Generate a user delegation SAS from Entra ID with only the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry.
A user delegation SAS is generated from Entra ID credentials, so the administrator does not expose the storage account key. It can be scoped to a single container, limited to upload permissions, and given a short expiration time. That combination satisfies least privilege and automatic expiration for temporary contractor access.
- D
Assign the contractor the Storage Blob Data Contributor role at the storage account scope.
Why wrong: RBAC is a valid authorization model, but it does not automatically expire after two hours. The administrator would need to remove the role assignment manually later. The scenario specifically asks for access that expires automatically, which makes a temporary SAS the better fit.
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 contractor needs to upload files to one blob container for the next two hours. The contractor must not learn the storage account key, and access should expire automatically without manual cleanup. What is the best way to grant access?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Generate a user delegation SAS from Entra ID with only the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry.
A user delegation SAS is the correct choice because it is secured with Entra ID credentials rather than the storage account key, ensuring the contractor never learns the key. The SAS can be scoped to exactly the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry, providing automatic, time-limited access without manual cleanup. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and eliminates the need to share or rotate storage account keys.
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.
- ✗
Share the storage account key and ask the contractor to stop using it after two hours.
Why it's wrong here
A storage account key is a long-lived secret that grants very broad access. It does not expire automatically after two hours, and manual cleanup is easy to miss. This approach is much less secure than a scoped temporary SAS.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question required granting full, permanent access to the storage account to a trusted administrator who needs to manage all resources, and automatic expiry is not needed, sharing the storage account key would be appropriate.
- ✗
Create an account SAS with broad permissions and send it to the contractor by email.
Why it's wrong here
An account SAS is still a shared secret and can be broader than necessary. It is better than a storage key, but it is not the most secure choice when Entra ID is available. It also does not give the least-privilege, identity-based control described in the scenario.
When this WOULD be correct
A question where a user needs temporary access to multiple blobs or containers for a short period, and the storage account key is already known to the administrator but must not be shared. The SAS is generated with a short expiry and sent via email, with no requirement for Entra ID integration or delegation.
- ✓
Generate a user delegation SAS from Entra ID with only the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry.
Why this is correct
A user delegation SAS is generated from Entra ID credentials, so the administrator does not expose the storage account key. It can be scoped to a single container, limited to upload permissions, and given a short expiration time. That combination satisfies least privilege and automatic expiration for temporary contractor access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Assign the contractor the Storage Blob Data Contributor role at the storage account scope.
Why it's wrong here
RBAC is a valid authorization model, but it does not automatically expire after two hours. The administrator would need to remove the role assignment manually later. The scenario specifically asks for access that expires automatically, which makes a temporary SAS the better fit.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question required granting long-term, revocable access to a contractor who needs to manage blobs (read, write, delete) for an extended period, and the organization uses Azure RBAC for access control with a process to remove the role assignment when no longer needed.
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.
✓Generate a user delegation SAS from Entra ID with only the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A user delegation SAS is generated from Entra ID credentials, so the administrator does not expose the storage account key. It can be scoped to a single container, limited to upload permissions, and given a short expiration time. That combination satisfies least privilege and automatic expiration for temporary contractor access.
✗Share the storage account key and ask the contractor to stop using it after two hours.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Sharing the storage account key grants full access to the entire storage account, not just the container, and does not automatically expire after two hours, violating the requirement for automatic expiry and limited access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question required granting full, permanent access to the storage account to a trusted administrator who needs to manage all resources, and automatic expiry is not needed, sharing the storage account key would be appropriate.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think sharing the key is the simplest method and assume the contractor will stop using it after two hours, overlooking the lack of automatic expiry and the security risk of exposing the key.
✗Create an account SAS with broad permissions and send it to the contractor by email.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An account SAS grants broad permissions (e.g., all containers) and does not automatically expire within two hours unless explicitly set; it also does not prevent the contractor from learning the storage account key because the SAS is derived from the key. The requirement for automatic expiry and no key exposure is not fully met.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question where a user needs temporary access to multiple blobs or containers for a short period, and the storage account key is already known to the administrator but must not be shared. The SAS is generated with a short expiry and sent via email, with no requirement for Entra ID integration or delegation.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a SAS is always the best for temporary access, overlooking that an account SAS is tied to the storage account key and offers less granular control than a user delegation SAS. They might also assume email delivery is acceptable without considering security best practices.
✗Assign the contractor the Storage Blob Data Contributor role at the storage account scope.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Assigning the Storage Blob Data Contributor role at the storage account scope does not provide automatic expiry; access would persist until manually revoked, violating the requirement that access expire automatically without manual cleanup.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question required granting long-term, revocable access to a contractor who needs to manage blobs (read, write, delete) for an extended period, and the organization uses Azure RBAC for access control with a process to remove the role assignment when no longer needed.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that Azure RBAC is always the best practice for access control and overlook the specific requirement for automatic expiry, assuming that the role assignment can be removed later, but the question explicitly demands automatic expiration without manual cleanup.
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 confuse an account SAS (which still uses the storage account key) with a user delegation SAS (which uses Entra ID), leading them to choose Option B because they think any SAS automatically avoids key exposure, but only the user delegation SAS truly prevents the contractor from learning the key.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
An account SAS is still a shared secret and can be broader than necessary. It is better than a storage key, but it is not the most secure choice when Entra ID is available. It also does not give the least-privilege, identity-based control described in the scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A user delegation SAS is signed with a user delegation key obtained from Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) via the OAuth 2.0 token exchange, not the storage account key. This key is temporary and tied to the requesting user's identity, allowing fine-grained control over expiry down to the second. In contrast, an account SAS uses the storage account key for signing, which is a static secret that must be protected and rotated, making it unsuitable for scenarios where the key must remain confidential.
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.
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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: Generate a user delegation SAS from Entra ID with only the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry. — A user delegation SAS is the correct choice because it is secured with Entra ID credentials rather than the storage account key, ensuring the contractor never learns the key. The SAS can be scoped to exactly the required container permissions and a two-hour expiry, providing automatic, time-limited access without manual cleanup. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and eliminates the need to share or rotate storage account keys.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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