Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Your company has a set of REST APIs that are exposed through Azure API Management (APIM). One of the backend APIs is secured and requires an OAuth 2.0 access token from Microsoft Entra ID. The APIM instance has a system-assigned managed identity with permissions to request tokens for the backend API's scope. You need to configure APIM to automatically obtain a token and pass it to the backend API when requests come in. What should you do?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Add a set-backend-service policy with the authentication-managed-identity attribute
This policy automatically obtains a token using the managed identity and passes it to the backend as an Authorization header.
B
Distractor review
Configure the backend API's subscription key in policy
Subscription keys are not OAuth tokens and will not authenticate to the backend API that expects a Bearer token.
C
Distractor review
Use a validate-jwt policy to check incoming token
validate-jwt validates tokens from the client; it does not obtain a token for the backend.
D
Distractor review
Create a named value with the token and reference it in policy
Named values are static and cannot hold a dynamically obtained token that needs to be refreshed.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Related practice questions
Related AZ-204 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
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Question 2
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
You are monitoring an Azure App Service using Application Insights. You notice that the server response time is high for certain requests. You need to drill down to see which external dependencies (like databases or APIs) are causing the delay. Which Application Insights feature should you use?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-204 question test?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a set-backend-service policy with the authentication-managed-identity attribute — The authentication-managed-identity policy in APIM can be used in the inbound section to obtain an access token using the APIM instance's managed identity and set it as the Authorization header. Named values are static, subscription keys are not OAuth tokens, and validate-jwt only validates incoming tokens.
What should I do if I get this AZ-204 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
Discussion
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