- A
Use Azure Blob Storage with Premium Block Blob Storage and enable geo-replication.
Why wrong: Premium Block Blob Storage is more expensive and overkill for infrequent reads of large files.
- B
Use Azure Blob Storage with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) endpoint.
Why wrong: CDN adds cost and complexity; RA-GRS is more straightforward for read-heavy, infrequently updated data.
- C
Use Azure Files with a Premium tier and geo-redundant storage.
Why wrong: Azure Files is designed for file shares, not optimized for large binary blobs.
- D
Use Azure Blob Storage with read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) and serve reads from the secondary region.
RA-GRS provides low-latency reads from a secondary region for users worldwide, and the cost is acceptable for infrequent updates.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use Azure Blob Storage with read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) and serve reads from the secondary region. This configuration directly addresses the need for read-access geo-redundant storage for global read performance because RA-GRS maintains a synchronous copy of your data in a paired secondary region, providing a separate read-only endpoint. By routing read requests to the geographically closest endpoint—either primary or secondary—your application minimizes latency for users worldwide, all while keeping costs low since the files are updated only once per month and are read-only. On the AZ-204 exam, this scenario tests your ability to choose the right replication strategy for distributed read-heavy workloads without over-provisioning expensive solutions like Premium Blob Storage or CDN. A common trap is confusing RA-GRS with standard GRS, which lacks the read-only secondary endpoint; remember that the “R” in RA-GRS stands for “read-access,” giving you that second endpoint. Memory tip: think “RA-GRS = Read Anywhere, Geo-Redundant Storage.”
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 develop an application that stores large binary files (up to 1 GB) in Azure Blob Storage. The application must minimize latency when reading these files from different geographic regions. The files are updated infrequently (once per month) and must be read-only for the application. You need to configure the storage account for optimal read performance and cost. What should you use?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
Use Azure Blob Storage with read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) and serve reads from the secondary region.
Option D is correct because read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) provides a secondary read-only endpoint in a paired region, allowing the application to read from the closest region to minimize latency. Since files are updated infrequently (once per month) and are read-only, RA-GRS offers cost-effective geo-distributed read performance without the premium cost of CDN or Premium Blob Storage.
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 Azure Blob Storage with Premium Block Blob Storage and enable geo-replication.
Why it's wrong here
Premium Block Blob Storage is more expensive and overkill for infrequent reads of large files.
- ✗
Use Azure Blob Storage with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
CDN adds cost and complexity; RA-GRS is more straightforward for read-heavy, infrequently updated data.
- ✗
Use Azure Files with a Premium tier and geo-redundant storage.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files is designed for file shares, not optimized for large binary blobs.
- ✓
Use Azure Blob Storage with read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) and serve reads from the secondary region.
Why this is correct
RA-GRS provides low-latency reads from a secondary region for users worldwide, and the cost is acceptable for infrequent updates.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
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 RA-GRS with GRS, forgetting that only RA-GRS provides a read-only secondary endpoint for active reads, while standard GRS requires a manual failover to access the secondary region.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RA-GRS replicates data asynchronously to a paired secondary region using Azure Storage replication, and the secondary endpoint (e.g., https://<storage-account>-secondary.blob.core.windows.net) is available for read operations even without a failover event. The replication lag is typically under 15 minutes, which is acceptable for monthly updates. Under the hood, RA-GRS uses LRS in the primary region and then asynchronously copies to the secondary region, ensuring eventual consistency for reads from the secondary endpoint.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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.
- →
Develop for Azure storage — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Develop for Azure storage practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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All AZ-204 questions
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Microsoft Azure Developer Associate AZ-204 study guide
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AZ-204 practice test guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-204 question test?
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 Azure Blob Storage with read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) and serve reads from the secondary region. — Option D is correct because read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) provides a secondary read-only endpoint in a paired region, allowing the application to read from the closest region to minimize latency. Since files are updated infrequently (once per month) and are read-only, RA-GRS offers cost-effective geo-distributed read performance without the premium cost of CDN or Premium Blob Storage.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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