AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
You deploy a Windows Server VM and need to run several PowerShell commands after deployment without signing in to the VM. Which Azure feature should you use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the Custom Script Extension on the VM.
The Custom Script Extension (CSE) is the correct Azure feature because it allows you to run PowerShell or Bash scripts on a VM after deployment without requiring interactive sign-in. It executes the script via the Azure VM Agent, which runs as a local system process, making it ideal for post-deployment configuration tasks like installing software or running commands.
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.
✓
Use the Custom Script Extension on the VM.
Why this is correct
The Custom Script Extension runs commands inside the guest after deployment and does not require interactive sign-in.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Put the VM in an availability zone.
Why it's wrong here
Availability zones improve resilience, but they do not execute post-deployment commands.
✗
Attach a managed identity and rely on Azure Policy.
Why it's wrong here
Managed identity helps with secure authentication, and policy enforces compliance, but neither runs scripts.
✗
Create a snapshot before startup.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots protect disk state, but they are not used to automate Windows configuration tasks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing post-deployment script execution with other VM management features like availability zones or managed identities, which serve entirely different purposes (high availability and authentication, respectively).
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Availability zones improve resilience, but they do not execute post-deployment commands.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Custom Script Extension downloads scripts from Azure Storage, GitHub, or a public URL and executes them via the VM Agent (WindowsAzureGuestAgent.exe on Windows). It supports idempotent execution by tracking script state in the extension handler, and scripts run with SYSTEM privileges, enabling tasks like domain join or software installation. In real-world scenarios, CSE is often used in ARM templates or Terraform to bootstrap VMs without manual intervention.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — This question tests Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the Custom Script Extension on the VM. — The Custom Script Extension (CSE) is the correct Azure feature because it allows you to run PowerShell or Bash scripts on a VM after deployment without requiring interactive sign-in. It executes the script via the Azure VM Agent, which runs as a local system process, making it ideal for post-deployment configuration tasks like installing software or running commands.
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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