AZ-400 Develop a security and compliance plan Practice Question
This AZ-400 practice question tests your understanding of develop a security and compliance plan. 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.
Your organization must comply with SOC 2 requirements. You are using Azure DevOps and need to ensure that all pipeline runs are logged and that logs are retained for at least one year. Which configuration should you implement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable audit streaming to a Log Analytics workspace and set retention to 365 days.
Option D is correct because enabling Azure DevOps audit streaming to a Log Analytics workspace allows long-term retention and compliance. Option A is wrong because the default retention is shorter. Option B is wrong because disabling pipeline deletion does not affect log retention. Option C is wrong because diagnostic settings in Azure are for Azure resources, not Azure DevOps pipelines.
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.
✗
Increase the retention period of pipeline logs in the Azure DevOps UI.
Why it's wrong here
The maximum retention in UI is limited and may not meet one year.
✗
Configure diagnostic settings for the Azure DevOps organization.
Why it's wrong here
Diagnostic settings are for Azure resources, not Azure DevOps audit logs.
✗
Disable the option to delete pipelines.
Why it's wrong here
This prevents deletion but does not ensure log retention.
✓
Enable audit streaming to a Log Analytics workspace and set retention to 365 days.
Why this is correct
Audit streaming allows long-term retention and compliance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" 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
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-400 question in full detail.
Identify which AZ-400 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Develop a security and compliance plan — This question tests Develop a security and compliance plan — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable audit streaming to a Log Analytics workspace and set retention to 365 days. — Option D is correct because enabling Azure DevOps audit streaming to a Log Analytics workspace allows long-term retention and compliance. Option A is wrong because the default retention is shorter. Option B is wrong because disabling pipeline deletion does not affect log retention. Option C is wrong because diagnostic settings in Azure are for Azure resources, not Azure DevOps pipelines.
What should I do if I get this AZ-400 question wrong?
Identify which AZ-400 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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