The correct action is to configure a lifecycle management rule using the condition `daysAfterModificationGreaterThan` to tier blobs to archive after 30 days and delete them after 365 days. This condition triggers actions based on the blob’s last modification time, making it ideal for managing blobs by age when access tracking is not enabled. On the Microsoft Azure Developer Associate AZ-204 exam, this tests your understanding of Azure Storage lifecycle policies, specifically how to automate tiering and deletion without relying on access logs. A common trap is confusing `daysAfterModificationGreaterThan` with `daysAfterLastAccessTimeGreaterThan`, but the latter requires access tracking to be enabled, which is not specified here. Memory tip: think of “modification” as the blob’s “birthday” for age-based rules—use it when you only care about when the blob was last written, not when it was read.
AZ-204 Develop for Azure storage Practice Question
This AZ-204 practice question tests your understanding of develop for azure storage. 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 have an Azure Storage account with cool tier blobs. You need to implement lifecycle management to move blobs to the archive tier after 30 days if they have not been accessed, and delete them after 365 days. Which lifecycle management rule action should you configure?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a rule with condition 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' to tier after 30 days and delete after 365 days.
Option D is correct because lifecycle management rules in Azure Storage use the 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' condition to trigger actions based on the last modification time of a blob. This allows you to tier blobs to archive after 30 days and delete them after 365 days, which aligns with the requirement to manage blobs based on age when access tracking is not enabled.
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 a rule with condition 'daysAfterLastAccessTimeGreaterThan' to tier and delete, and enable blob access tracking.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling access tracking is optional and may not be desired due to cost.
✗
Use a rule with condition 'daysAfterLastAccessTimeGreaterThan' to tier and delete.
Why it's wrong here
Last access time tracking is not enabled by default and incurs additional cost.
✗
Use a rule with condition 'daysAfterSnapshotCreationGreaterThan' to tier and delete.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are separate resources; this condition is not for base blobs.
✓
Use a rule with condition 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' to tier after 30 days and delete after 365 days.
Why this is correct
The default condition uses last modification time, which is suitable for this scenario.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' with 'daysAfterLastAccessTimeGreaterThan', assuming the latter is the default for access-based rules, but it requires explicit enabling of blob access tracking.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' condition evaluates the 'Last-Modified' timestamp of a blob, which is automatically updated when the blob is created or overwritten. In contrast, 'daysAfterLastAccessTimeGreaterThan' relies on the 'AccessTierChangeTime' property, which is only populated when blob access tracking is enabled via the 'blobAccessTracking' setting on the storage account. A real-world scenario where this matters is when you need to manage blobs based on last write time without incurring the overhead of access tracking, such as in archival workflows for log files that are written once and never modified.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-204 question in full detail.
Develop for Azure storage — This question tests Develop for Azure storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a rule with condition 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' to tier after 30 days and delete after 365 days. — Option D is correct because lifecycle management rules in Azure Storage use the 'daysAfterModificationGreaterThan' condition to trigger actions based on the last modification time of a blob. This allows you to tier blobs to archive after 30 days and delete them after 365 days, which aligns with the requirement to manage blobs based on age when access tracking is not enabled.
What should I do if I get this AZ-204 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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