AZ-900 Describe Azure architecture and services Practice Question
A company uses Azure to run a virtual machine for development. They want to ensure that if the physical server hosting the VM fails, the VM is automatically restarted on another server within the same Azure datacenter. Which Azure SLA does this scenario relate to?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume a single VM has no SLA or that the 99.95% SLA applies to any two VMs, but Azure specifically ties the 99.95% SLA to multiple instances in an availability set or zones, while a single VM with premium storage still gets a 99.9% SLA.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
99.9% VM SLA for a single instance
The scenario describes a single VM that automatically restarts on another physical host within the same datacenter after a hardware failure. This is covered by the Azure VM SLA for a single instance, which guarantees 99.9% uptime when you use premium SSD or ultra disks and have the VM deployed in a single availability zone or just within a datacenter. The SLA specifically addresses connectivity to the VM and its automatic recovery from host failures, not multi-instance redundancy.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
99.9% VM SLA for a single instance
Why this is correct
For a single Azure VM, the monthly uptime SLA is 99.9%, provided all OS and data disks use Premium SSD or Ultra Disk storage. This guarantees connectivity but excludes failures due to unplanned maintenance or hardware faults that are outside Microsoft's control, and it does not cover in-guest application issues.
- ✗
99.95% VM SLA for multiple instances
Why it's wrong here
The 99.95% SLA applies only when a VM is deployed in a multiple-instance configuration, such as in an availability set or across availability zones, to provide redundancy. For a single dev VM, the higher availability guarantee is not applicable because there is no failover partner, so the 99.95% figure would overstate the committed uptime.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question stated that the company deploys two or more VMs in an availability set and wants to ensure connectivity to at least one instance during maintenance or failure, guaranteeing a 99.95% uptime SLA.
- ✗
99.99% SQL Database SLA
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database offers a 99.99% SLA, but that applies specifically to the PaaS database service, not to infrastructure-as-a-service virtual machines. The VM SLA is independent and lower (99.9% for a single instance) because VMs are subject to different infrastructure and maintenance considerations.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct for a question asking: 'A company runs a mission-critical database on Azure SQL Database. What is the highest SLA available for a single database in a single region?'
- ✗
No SLA applied
Why it's wrong here
Every Azure service, including virtual machines, comes with a published Service Level Agreement under the Azure SLA. Saying no SLA applies is incorrect; even a single-instance VM has a 99.9% monthly uptime commitment if it meets configuration requirements, such as using Premium SSD disks.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question stated that the VM is deployed without any SLA coverage, such as a free trial or a VM that does not meet the prerequisites for the SLA (e.g., not using premium storage or not having all disks in the same availability zone). For example: 'A company runs a development VM using a free Azure account. What SLA applies?'
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-900 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓99.9% VM SLA for a single instanceCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
For a single Azure VM, the monthly uptime SLA is 99.9%, provided all OS and data disks use Premium SSD or Ultra Disk storage. This guarantees connectivity but excludes failures due to unplanned maintenance or hardware faults that are outside Microsoft's control, and it does not cover in-guest application issues.
✗99.95% VM SLA for multiple instancesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The scenario describes a single VM that needs automatic restart on another server within the same datacenter, which is covered by the 99.9% SLA for a single instance. The 99.95% SLA applies only when the VM is deployed in an availability set with two or more instances, which is not the case here.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question stated that the company deploys two or more VMs in an availability set and wants to ensure connectivity to at least one instance during maintenance or failure, guaranteeing a 99.95% uptime SLA.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly believe that a higher SLA percentage always applies, or they confuse the need for high availability with the automatic restart feature, assuming multiple instances are required for any restart capability.
✗99.99% SQL Database SLAWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question is about VM availability after physical server failure, not about SQL Database. The 99.99% SLA applies to Azure SQL Database, not to virtual machines.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct for a question asking: 'A company runs a mission-critical database on Azure SQL Database. What is the highest SLA available for a single database in a single region?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the high SLA number (99.99%) with VM availability, or think that any Azure service with a high SLA applies to all scenarios.
✗No SLA appliedWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The scenario describes a VM that is automatically restarted on another server within the same datacenter after a physical server failure, which is covered by the 99.9% VM SLA for a single instance. Option D is incorrect because Azure does provide an SLA for single-instance VMs (99.9%) when all disks and VHDs are in the same availability zone or are zone-redundant.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question stated that the VM is deployed without any SLA coverage, such as a free trial or a VM that does not meet the prerequisites for the SLA (e.g., not using premium storage or not having all disks in the same availability zone). For example: 'A company runs a development VM using a free Azure account. What SLA applies?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that since the VM is for development and not production, Azure does not provide any SLA, or they may mistakenly believe that single-instance VMs have no SLA at all.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-900blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Azure Regions and Geographies
Key term
SLA
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and a customer that defines the level of service expected, including metrics like uptime, response time, and penalties for non-compliance.
Key term
Azure datacenter
An Azure datacenter is a physical facility that houses Microsoft's cloud computing infrastructure, including servers, storage, and networking equipment, to deliver Azure services globally.
About these practice questions
One of 981 original AZ-900 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-900 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-900 exam.