AZ-204 Develop Azure compute solutions Practice Question
You are developing a solution that needs to run a background task every 10 minutes to clean up temporary files in Azure Blob Storage. You want to use Azure Functions with the Consumption Plan to minimize cost. Which trigger type should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse BlobTrigger (event-driven on blob changes) with a scheduled cleanup task, not realizing that TimerTrigger is the only trigger that natively supports recurring time-based execution without external dependencies.
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
✓
TimerTrigger
B is correct because TimerTrigger is designed for scheduled execution of background tasks at fixed intervals, such as every 10 minutes. It uses a cron expression to define the schedule and runs on the Consumption Plan, which scales to zero when idle, minimizing cost. This makes it the ideal choice for periodic cleanup of temporary files in Azure Blob Storage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
HTTPTrigger
Why it's wrong here
An HTTPTrigger initiates an Azure Function execution in response to an incoming HTTP request, typically a web hook or API call. While it can be invoked programmatically, it does not inherently provide a scheduling mechanism for background tasks. Therefore, relying on an external system to repeatedly call an HTTP-triggered function for a scheduled background task is inefficient and not the intended design pattern for periodic execution.
- ✓
TimerTrigger
Why this is correct
The TimerTrigger is the appropriate choice for executing Azure Functions on a predefined schedule, making it ideal for background tasks that need to run periodically. It leverages CRON expressions, allowing developers to specify precise execution intervals, such as every 10 minutes, daily, or on specific days of the week. This trigger is purpose-built for reliable, time-based task automation without requiring external orchestration.
- ✗
BlobTrigger
Why it's wrong here
A BlobTrigger activates an Azure Function whenever a new blob is added to a specified Azure Storage container or an existing blob is updated. This trigger is fundamentally event-driven, designed to process data as it arrives in blob storage, rather than executing on a fixed time schedule. Consequently, it is unsuitable for implementing a background task that requires periodic execution independent of storage events.
- ✗
ServiceBusTrigger
Why it's wrong here
The ServiceBusTrigger initiates an Azure Function when one or more messages are delivered to a specified Azure Service Bus Queue or Topic. This trigger is designed for message-driven architectures, enabling asynchronous processing of messages as they become available. It does not provide any inherent scheduling capabilities and would only execute if an external system explicitly sends messages to the Service Bus, making it inappropriate for a purely time-scheduled background task.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Azure Functions Development
Key term
Azure Functions Bindings
Azure Functions Bindings are declarative connections that link your serverless function code to Azure services or external resources, handling input and output data automatically without writing extra networking or authentication code.
Key term
Durable Functions
Durable Functions is an extension of Azure Functions that lets you write stateful workflows in code, managing complex sequences of tasks, retries, and delays automatically.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-204 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-204 exam.