The answer is Azure VM Auto-Shutdown. This built-in feature directly addresses the need to reduce Azure costs by automatically turning off virtual machines at a scheduled time daily, ensuring development and test VMs are not left running overnight or on weekends when no one is using them. It is configured directly on the VM blade in the Azure portal without requiring any additional scripting, automation services, or third-party tools, making it a simple, native cost-saving mechanism. On the AZ-900 exam, this concept tests your understanding of Azure’s built-in cost optimization tools versus more complex automation solutions like Azure Automation or Logic Apps—a common trap is confusing Auto-Shutdown with Azure DevTest Labs schedules or thinking you need custom code. Remember the memory tip: “Auto-Shutdown is a VM blade setting, not a separate service.”
AZ-900 Describe Azure management and governance Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe azure management and governance. 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.
Which Azure feature automatically turns off virtual machines at a scheduled time daily to reduce development costs?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure VM Auto-Shutdown
Azure VM Auto-Shutdown is a built-in feature that allows you to schedule automatic shutdown of virtual machines at a specified time daily, reducing costs by ensuring VMs are not running when not needed. It is configured directly on the VM blade in the Azure portal and requires no additional scripting or automation services.
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.
✗
Azure Policy VM power state enforcement
Why it's wrong here
Policy enforces configurations; Auto-Shutdown is the specific feature for scheduled VM power-off.
✓
Azure VM Auto-Shutdown
Why this is correct
VM Auto-Shutdown schedules VMs to power off at a specific daily time, reducing compute costs for dev/test environments.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure DevTest Labs cost controls
Why it's wrong here
DevTest Labs has cost controls that use Auto-Shutdown; Auto-Shutdown itself is the native VM feature.
✗
Azure Automation runbooks for VM shutdown
Why it's wrong here
Automation runbooks can schedule VM shutdowns but require more configuration; Auto-Shutdown is the built-in feature.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Azure DevTest Labs cost controls (which also offer auto-shutdown) with the general Azure VM Auto-Shutdown feature, but DevTest Labs is a separate service for lab environments, not the built-in VM-level setting.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure VM Auto-Shutdown uses the Azure Resource Manager to send a shutdown command to the VM at the scheduled time, leveraging the same API as manual shutdowns. It supports time zone configuration and optional email notifications before shutdown, and it works for both Windows and Linux VMs. In a real-world scenario, a development team might set auto-shutdown to 7 PM daily to avoid paying for idle VMs overnight, but must remember that auto-shutdown does not deallocate the VM—it stops it, so compute charges stop but storage costs persist.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-900 question in full detail.
Describe Azure management and governance — This question tests Describe Azure management and governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure VM Auto-Shutdown — Azure VM Auto-Shutdown is a built-in feature that allows you to schedule automatic shutdown of virtual machines at a specified time daily, reducing costs by ensuring VMs are not running when not needed. It is configured directly on the VM blade in the Azure portal and requires no additional scripting or automation services.
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.
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Question Discussion
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