The correct answer is to enable Cross-Region Restore (CRR) for the Recovery Services vault and rely on Azure Backup’s default encryption at rest. Azure Backup automatically encrypts backup data at rest using platform-managed keys, satisfying the encryption requirement without additional configuration. Cross-Region Restore then allows you to restore backed-up Azure VMs in a paired secondary region, ensuring business continuity during a regional disaster by replicating backup data across geographies. On the AZ-500 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between backup restore capabilities and disaster recovery tools like Azure Site Recovery, which is a common trap—CRR is a backup feature, not a replication service. Another trap is confusing geo-redundant storage (GRS), which is the underlying storage for the vault, with the actual restore action; GRS enables CRR but is not itself a restore configuration. Memory tip: think “Backup encrypts, CRR restores far away”—the vault handles encryption automatically, while CRR is the toggle you must explicitly enable for cross-region recovery.
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.
You are designing a backup strategy for Azure virtual machines. You need to ensure that backups are encrypted at rest and can be restored in a different Azure region in case of a regional disaster. Which two configurations should you use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable encryption at rest for the Recovery Services vault using platform-managed keys
Option A is correct: Azure Backup uses encryption at rest by default. Option C is correct: Cross-region restore (CRR) allows restoring in a different region. Option B (geo-redundant storage) is used by Recovery Services vault but is not a restore option. Option D (Azure Site Recovery) is for disaster recovery, not backup. Option E (Azure Disk Encryption) is for VM disks, not backup.
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.
✗
Configure Azure Site Recovery for the VMs
Why it's wrong here
Site Recovery is for replication, not backup.
✓
Enable encryption at rest for the Recovery Services vault using platform-managed keys
Use geo-redundant storage (GRS) for the Recovery Services vault
Why it's wrong here
GRS provides storage redundancy, but cross-region restore is a separate feature.
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 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.
Identify which AZ-500 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.
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 encryption at rest for the Recovery Services vault using platform-managed keys — Option A is correct: Azure Backup uses encryption at rest by default. Option C is correct: Cross-region restore (CRR) allows restoring in a different region. Option B (geo-redundant storage) is used by Recovery Services vault but is not a restore option. Option D (Azure Site Recovery) is for disaster recovery, not backup. Option E (Azure Disk Encryption) is for VM disks, not backup.
What should I do if I get this AZ-500 question wrong?
Identify which AZ-500 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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This AZ-500 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-500 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.