- A
Responsibility of the customer for network security
Why wrong: Network security, such as configuring firewalls and network security groups, is typically a customer responsibility (or shared) depending on the service model. Physical security is not.
- B
Responsibility of the cloud provider for physical security
The cloud provider is responsible for the physical security of datacenters, including access controls, surveillance, and environmental controls. This is a fundamental part of the shared responsibility model.
- C
Responsibility of the customer for data classification
Why wrong: Data classification is a customer responsibility, but it does not involve physical security.
- D
Responsibility of the customer for identity and access management
Why wrong: Identity and access management is the customer's responsibility to control who can access resources, but physical security is not part of that.
AZ-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe cloud concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 hospital stores sensitive patient data in the cloud. They want to ensure that data remains secure and that the cloud provider has implemented strict physical security controls, such as biometric access and 24/7 surveillance at datacenters. Which aspect of the shared responsibility model does this describe?
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
Responsibility of the cloud provider for physical security
The shared responsibility model delineates that the cloud provider is responsible for the security 'of' the cloud, which includes physical infrastructure controls like biometric access and 24/7 surveillance at datacenters. This question specifically asks about physical security controls, which fall under the provider's domain regardless of the deployment model (IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS). Therefore, option B is correct because the provider must secure the physical premises housing the servers and storage.
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.
- ✗
Responsibility of the customer for network security
Why it's wrong here
Network security, such as configuring firewalls and network security groups, is typically a customer responsibility (or shared) depending on the service model. Physical security is not.
- ✓
Responsibility of the cloud provider for physical security
Why this is correct
The cloud provider is responsible for the physical security of datacenters, including access controls, surveillance, and environmental controls. This is a fundamental part of the shared responsibility model.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Responsibility of the customer for data classification
Why it's wrong here
Data classification is a customer responsibility, but it does not involve physical security.
- ✗
Responsibility of the customer for identity and access management
Why it's wrong here
Identity and access management is the customer's responsibility to control who can access resources, but physical security is not part of that.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'physical security' with 'network security' or 'IAM,' assuming the customer must manage all security layers, but the shared responsibility model explicitly assigns physical controls to the provider.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the shared responsibility model, the provider's physical security controls include multi-factor biometric authentication, mantraps, and redundant power/cooling systems, often audited via SOC 2 Type II reports. For Azure, the provider maintains compliance with standards like ISO 27001 and FedRAMP for datacenter access, while customers must still configure Azure Policy and Azure Blueprints to enforce data residency and encryption at rest (e.g., Azure Storage Service Encryption). A real-world scenario: if a datacenter suffers a physical breach, the provider is liable, but if a customer's misconfigured storage account exposes data, that is the customer's fault.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-900 question test?
Describe cloud concepts — This question tests Describe cloud concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Responsibility of the cloud provider for physical security — The shared responsibility model delineates that the cloud provider is responsible for the security 'of' the cloud, which includes physical infrastructure controls like biometric access and 24/7 surveillance at datacenters. This question specifically asks about physical security controls, which fall under the provider's domain regardless of the deployment model (IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS). Therefore, option B is correct because the provider must secure the physical premises housing the servers and storage.
What should I do if I get this AZ-900 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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