The answer is Azure NAT Gateway, which is the correct choice because it provides outbound-only internet access for Azure VMs without public IPs by translating all traffic from a subnet through a single, predictable public IP address using Source Network Address Translation (SNAT). Unlike Azure Load Balancer or Azure Firewall, NAT Gateway requires no inbound rules or public IPs on the VMs themselves, making it ideal for scenarios like patch updates where only outbound connectivity is needed. On the AZ-104 exam, this question tests your understanding of outbound connectivity options, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose a load balancer with outbound rules or Basic SKU public IPs—remember that NAT Gateway is the only service designed purely for outbound-only, scalable SNAT without inbound publishing. A helpful memory tip: “NAT Gateway is the one-way door—outbound only, no inbound required.”
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. 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.
You removed public IP addresses from a backend subnet containing 20 VMs. The VMs still need outbound internet access for updates, and the organization wants all outbound traffic to appear from one predictable public IP. No inbound publishing is required. Which Azure service 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
✓
Azure NAT Gateway associated with the subnet.
Azure NATGateway is the correct choice because it provides outbound-only internet connectivity for a subnet, translating all VM traffic to a single public IP address without requiring inbound NAT rules or a load balancer. It supports SNAT (Source Network Address Translation) for up to 64,000 concurrent flows per IP, meeting the requirement for predictable outbound IP and no inbound publishing.
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.
✗
A public load balancer with inbound NAT rules for each VM.
Why it's wrong here
Inbound NAT rules are for publishing inbound access, not for simplified outbound-only egress.
✓
Azure NAT Gateway associated with the subnet.
Why this is correct
NATGateway provides outbound-only internet connectivity with a stable public IP or public IP prefix.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A private load balancer with a backend pool of the VMs.
Why it's wrong here
Private load balancing distributes internal traffic but does not provide internet egress from the subnet.
✗
A VPN gateway connection to a remote network.
Why it's wrong here
A VPNgateway is for hybrid connectivity, not for providing predictable outbound internet NAT.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure NATGateway with a public load balancer for outbound traffic, mistakenly thinking inbound NAT rules are required for outbound connectivity, or assume a private load balancer can provide internet access via some indirect method.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure NATGateway uses port address translation (PAT) to map outbound traffic from private IPs to a single public IP, with automatic SNAT port reuse and no need for load balancer health probes. Under the hood, it operates at the subnet level, overriding default outbound access (e.g., from Azure's default SNAT) and supports up to 16 public IP addresses for scaling, with each IP providing 64,000 ports. In a real-world scenario, this ensures consistent outbound IP for whitelisting in third-party APIs or firewalls, avoiding IP fragmentation from multiple VMs.
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.
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: Azure NAT Gateway associated with the subnet. — Azure NAT Gateway is the correct choice because it provides outbound-only internet connectivity for a subnet, translating all VM traffic to a single public IP address without requiring inbound NAT rules or a load balancer. It supports SNAT (Source Network Address Translation) for up to 64,000 concurrent flows per IP, meeting the requirement for predictable outbound IP and no inbound publishing.
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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