Question 95 of 1,170

Implement and Manage Storage →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is to generate a user delegation SAS after authenticating with Microsoft Entra ID. This method is correct because a user delegation SAS is secured with Microsoft Entra ID credentials rather than the storage account key, allowing you to grant time-limited container access that expires precisely when needed while keeping the account key safe. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure Storage security and shared access signatures, often appearing as a scenario where you must choose between a service SAS and a user delegation SAS—the common trap is selecting the service SAS because it seems simpler, but that exposes the account key and lacks the fine-grained, identity-based control required for delegated access. Remember the memory tip: “User delegation = User identity + time limit,” meaning you always pair Microsoft Entra ID authentication with a user delegation SAS when you need to grant temporary, scoped access without sharing keys.

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.

Network Topology

Based on the exhibit, which method should the administrator use to grant the partner time-limited access to one container?

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

Network Topology

A
Generate a service SAS by using the storage account key and email the URL to the partner.
Why wrong: A service SAS depends on the shared key, which the exhibit says is disabled. Sharing the account key also gives broader access than needed and is harder to control safely.
B
Generate a user delegation SAS after authenticating with Microsoft Entra ID.
A user delegation SAS is the safest temporary access method in this scenario because it does not require exposing the storage account key. It is signed with Microsoft Entra credentials, can be scoped to one container, and can be set to expire after six hours. That makes it easy to grant and revoke access while limiting permissions.
C
Make the container public and remove the SAS requirement from the partner workflow.
Why wrong: Public container access would expose data to anyone who knows or can discover the URL. It would also remove the ability to tightly control the six-hour access window required in the exhibit.
D
Assign the partner Storage Blob Data Contributor on the storage account and let them sign in interactively.
Why wrong: RBAC can work for Azure identities, but this does not match a temporary external sharing scenario well. It also grants broader ongoing access than the exhibit requires and is not as convenient for a one-time access window.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 after authenticating with Microsoft Entra ID.

A user delegation SAS is secured with Microsoft Entra ID credentials and can be scoped to a specific container with a time-limited expiry, meeting the requirement for time-limited access to one container. Unlike a service SAS, which uses the storage account key and grants broader permissions, the user delegation SAS provides finer-grained control and does not expose the account key. This method is the recommended approach for granting delegated, time-bound access to Azure Storage resources.

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.

✗
Generate a service SAS by using the storage account key and email the URL to the partner.
Why it's wrong here
A service SAS depends on the shared key, which the exhibit says is disabled. Sharing the account key also gives broader access than needed and is harder to control safely.
✓
Generate a user delegation SAS after authenticating with Microsoft Entra ID.
Why this is correct
A user delegation SAS is the safest temporary access method in this scenario because it does not require exposing the storage account key. It is signed with Microsoft Entra credentials, can be scoped to one container, and can be set to expire after six hours. That makes it easy to grant and revoke access while limiting permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Make the container public and remove the SAS requirement from the partner workflow.
Why it's wrong here
Public container access would expose data to anyone who knows or can discover the URL. It would also remove the ability to tightly control the six-hour access window required in the exhibit.
✗
Assign the partner Storage Blob Data Contributor on the storage account and let them sign in interactively.
Why it's wrong here
RBAC can work for Azure identities, but this does not match a temporary external sharing scenario well. It also grants broader ongoing access than the exhibit requires and is not as convenient for a one-time access window.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often confuse a service SAS (which uses the storage account key and is easier to generate) with a user delegation SAS, not realizing that the user delegation SAS provides superior security and granularity for time-limited, container-scoped access without exposing the account key.

Trap categories for this question

Scenario analysis trap
RBAC can work for Azure identities, but this does not match a temporary external sharing scenario well. It also grants broader ongoing access than the exhibit requires and is not as convenient for a one-time access window.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

A user delegation SAS is signed with a user delegation key obtained from Microsoft Entra ID, which is valid for a maximum of 7 days by default (configurable up to the key's expiry). This key is derived from the user's permissions, allowing the SAS to inherit RBAC roles like Storage Blob Data Contributor at the container level. Under the hood, the SAS token includes the signed version, service, resource type, permissions, start/expiry time, and the user delegation key's OID and TID, ensuring the token is tied to the specific Entra ID user and cannot be reused beyond its scope.

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.

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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 after authenticating with Microsoft Entra ID. — A user delegation SAS is secured with Microsoft Entra ID credentials and can be scoped to a specific container with a time-limited expiry, meeting the requirement for time-limited access to one container. Unlike a service SAS, which uses the storage account key and grants broader permissions, the user delegation SAS provides finer-grained control and does not expose the account key. This method is the recommended approach for granting delegated, time-bound access to Azure Storage resources.

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

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on AZ-104

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. You need to allow a partner application to upload files to a blob container for the next 24 hours. The partner must not receive the storage account key. What should you provide?

hard

A.The storage account access key
✓ B.A shared access signature (SAS)
C.The connection string with the account key
D.A Recovery Services vault

Why B: A shared access signature (SAS) provides delegated, time-limited access to a specific Azure Storage resource (like a blob container) without exposing the storage account key. By generating a SAS token with write permissions and a 24-hour expiry, you grant the partner application the ability to upload files while maintaining security and control over the access window.

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