Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Monitor. This is the correct choice because Azure Monitor provides a unified platform to collect VM performance counters and event logs via the Log Analytics agent or the newer Azure Monitor Agent, and it enables metric-based alert rules that trigger when CPU usage exceeds a defined threshold, such as 90%. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between Azure Monitor, which handles both data collection and alerting, and services like Azure Sentinel or VM Insights, which are layered on top of Monitor for security or visualization. A common trap is assuming you need separate tools for logs and alerts, but Azure Monitor alone satisfies all requirements. Memory tip: think of Azure Monitor as the "single pane of glass" for telemetry—if the task involves collecting performance counters, event logs, and CPU alerting, the answer is always Monitor.
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions. 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 need to configure a monitoring solution for Azure virtual machines that collects performance counters, event logs, and enables alerting based on CPU usage exceeding 90%. Which Azure service should you use?
Azure Policy
Why wrong: Azure Policy enforces compliance rules, does not collect performance data.
Microsoft Sentinel
Why wrong: Sentinel is a SIEM for security, not for general performance monitoring.
Azure Monitor
Azure Monitor collects performance counters, event logs, and supports metric alerts.
Azure Update Manager
Why wrong: Update Manager manages OS updates, not performance monitoring.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Azure Monitor
Azure Monitor is the correct service because it provides a unified platform for collecting performance counters and event logs from Azure VMs via the Log Analytics agent or Azure Monitor Agent, and it supports metric-based alert rules that can trigger when CPU usage exceeds a defined threshold (e.g., 90%). This directly meets the requirements for monitoring, log collection, and alerting without additional services.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure Policy
Why it's wrong here
Azure Policy enforces compliance rules, does not collect performance data.
Microsoft Sentinel
Why it's wrong here
Sentinel is a SIEM for security, not for general performance monitoring.
Azure Monitor
Why this is correct
Azure Monitor collects performance counters, event logs, and supports metric alerts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Azure Update Manager
Why it's wrong here
Update Manager manages OS updates, not performance monitoring.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Monitor with Microsoft Sentinel because both involve log collection and alerts, but Sentinel is specifically for security incidents, not general performance monitoring and threshold-based alerting on metrics like CPU usage.
Detailed technical explanation
Azure Monitor uses the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) to collect data via Data Collection Rules (DCRs), which can specify performance counters (e.g., \Processor(_Total)\% Processor Time) and Windows/Linux event logs. Alert rules in Azure Monitor evaluate metric data at a frequency as low as 1 minute, using dynamic thresholds or static values like 90%, and can trigger actions such as sending an email or invoking an Azure Automation runbook. A real-world scenario is monitoring a production VM fleet where a CPU spike above 90% for 5 minutes triggers an autoscaling action or a support ticket, which Azure Monitor handles natively without needing a SIEM or update tool.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
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FAQ
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — This question tests Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Azure Monitor — Azure Monitor is the correct service because it provides a unified platform for collecting performance counters and event logs from Azure VMs via the Log Analytics agent or Azure Monitor Agent, and it supports metric-based alert rules that can trigger when CPU usage exceeds a defined threshold (e.g., 90%). This directly meets the requirements for monitoring, log collection, and alerting without additional services.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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