AZ-500 Secure compute, storage, and databases Practice Question
This AZ-500 practice question tests your understanding of secure compute, storage, and databases. 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.
A company stores sensitive data in Azure Blob Storage. They use customer-managed keys (CMK) stored in Azure Key Vault for encryption at rest. The security policy requires that the encryption keys be automatically rotated every 90 days. Which configuration should they implement to meet this requirement without manual intervention?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable key auto-rotation in Key Vault by setting a rotation policy on the key.
Azure Key Vault supports automatic key rotation by configuring a rotation policy on the key. When you enable auto-rotation, Key Vault automatically creates a new key version at the specified interval (e.g., every 90 days) without any manual intervention. This directly satisfies the requirement for automatic rotation of customer-managed keys used for Azure Storage encryption at rest.
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.
✓
Enable key auto-rotation in Key Vault by setting a rotation policy on the key.
Why this is correct
Correct. Key Vault's rotation policy automates key rotation at the specified interval.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a custom Azure Automation runbook to rotate the key.
Why it's wrong here
Custom runbooks require development and maintenance; Key Vault natively supports auto-rotation.
✗
Set a key expiration date of 90 days and manually renew.
Why it's wrong here
Manual renewal is not automated and prone to error.
✗
Enable versioning on the storage account and manually create a new key version.
Why it's wrong here
Manual creation defeats the 'without manual intervention' requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think custom automation (Option B) is required for key rotation, but Azure Key Vault's built-in auto-rotation feature directly meets the requirement without additional overhead.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Key Vault's automatic key rotation uses a rotation policy defined with `az keyvault key rotation-policy update` or via the Azure portal, specifying `expiryTime` and `rotateAt` intervals. The service creates a new key version and updates the key identifier used by Azure Storage encryption, ensuring seamless transition. In a real-world scenario, if the rotation policy is set to 90 days but the key is used before the rotation completes, the old key version remains valid until the new one is fully propagated, preventing service disruption.
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-500 question in full detail.
Secure compute, storage, and databases — This question tests Secure compute, storage, and databases — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable key auto-rotation in Key Vault by setting a rotation policy on the key. — Azure Key Vault supports automatic key rotation by configuring a rotation policy on the key. When you enable auto-rotation, Key Vault automatically creates a new key version at the specified interval (e.g., every 90 days) without any manual intervention. This directly satisfies the requirement for automatic rotation of customer-managed keys used for Azure Storage encryption at rest.
What should I do if I get this AZ-500 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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Question Discussion
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