AZ-900 Describe Azure management and governance Practice Question
An IT administrator needs to query all Azure resources across multiple subscriptions to find all virtual machines that were created in the last 30 days. They want to use a powerful query language. Which Azure service should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse Azure Monitor’s log querying capabilities (also using KQL) with Azure Resource Graph’s resource metadata querying, but Azure Monitor cannot query resource properties like creation time across subscriptions—it only queries telemetry data.
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
✓
Azure Resource Graph
Azure Resource Graph is the correct service because it provides a powerful, Kusto Query Language (KQL)-based query engine that can efficiently explore and query Azure resources across multiple subscriptions, resource groups, and locations. It is specifically designed for resource discovery and inventory scenarios, such as finding all virtual machines created in the last 30 days, by filtering on properties like `createdTime`.
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 Resource Graph
Why this is correct
Azure Resource Graph is a purpose-built service in Azure that lets you query the complete resource inventory across subscriptions, management groups, and the entire tenant using the Kusto Query Language (KQL). It efficiently explores resource properties such as tags, location, SKU, and configuration details in a single query, making it the ideal tool for resource discovery and large-scale filtering.
- ✗
Azure Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Azure Monitor is designed for collecting and analyzing operational telemetry, including metrics, logs, and alerts, primarily via Log Analytics workspaces for application and infrastructure performance data. Although its KQL can be powerful, it queries stored log data from monitored resources rather than the live resource inventory and metadata captured by Azure Resource Graph. Therefore, it is not the correct service for resource discovery across subscriptions.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to analyze performance metrics and logs from all virtual machines to identify those with high CPU usage in the last 30 days. Azure Monitor with Log Analytics would be correct.
- ✗
Azure Resource Manager
Why it's wrong here
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is the deployment and control plane that manages the lifecycle of Azure resources through REST APIs, and it actually backs the data that Resource Graph exposes. However, its native list operations require separate calls per subscription, and it does not offer a query language for joining, filtering, and aggregating resource metadata across many subscriptions. This makes ARM the underlying layer, not the tool designed for fast, cross-subscription queries.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to deploy a consistent set of resources (e.g., VMs, networks) across multiple subscriptions using infrastructure as code. Azure Resource Manager would be correct because it manages resource groups and supports ARM templates for declarative deployment.
- ✗
Azure CLI
Why it's wrong here
Azure CLI is a command-line tool that automates Azure management by issuing individual REST API calls to the Azure Resource Manager. While you can use `az resource list` to enumerate resources, it operates per subscription by default, and cross-subscription queries require scripting loops or explicitly calling `az graph query` to leverage Resource Graph. Thus, the CLI itself lacks the native KQL-based, multi-subscription querying capability needed for this task.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to automate the creation of multiple virtual machines across different resource groups using a script. Azure CLI would be the correct choice for scripting and automation tasks.
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.
✓Azure Resource GraphCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Azure Resource Graph is a purpose-built service in Azure that lets you query the complete resource inventory across subscriptions, management groups, and the entire tenant using the Kusto Query Language (KQL). It efficiently explores resource properties such as tags, location, SKU, and configuration details in a single query, making it the ideal tool for resource discovery and large-scale filtering.
✗Azure MonitorWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Monitor is for collecting and analyzing telemetry data (metrics, logs) from resources, not for querying resource metadata across subscriptions using a powerful query language like KQL.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to analyze performance metrics and logs from all virtual machines to identify those with high CPU usage in the last 30 days. Azure Monitor with Log Analytics would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Monitor's log querying capabilities (KQL) with Azure Resource Graph's resource querying, or think monitoring includes resource inventory.
✗Azure Resource ManagerWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is the deployment and management service for Azure, not a query service. It does not provide a query language to search across resources; it handles resource provisioning and management via templates and APIs.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to deploy a consistent set of resources (e.g., VMs, networks) across multiple subscriptions using infrastructure as code. Azure Resource Manager would be correct because it manages resource groups and supports ARM templates for declarative deployment.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Resource Manager with Azure Resource Graph due to the similar name, assuming 'Resource Manager' implies resource querying capabilities, when in fact it is focused on management and deployment.
✗Azure CLIWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure CLI is a command-line tool for managing Azure resources, not a service for querying resources across subscriptions with a powerful query language like KQL.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to automate the creation of multiple virtual machines across different resource groups using a script. Azure CLI would be the correct choice for scripting and automation tasks.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think Azure CLI can query resources because it can run commands like 'az vm list', but it lacks the cross-subscription, query-language capabilities of Azure Resource Graph.
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 Cost Management and Billing
Key term
Query
A query is a request for information from a database, asking a specific question to retrieve, update, or manipulate data.
Key term
Azure resource
An Azure resource is a manageable item available through Microsoft Azure, such as a virtual machine, database, or web app.
About these practice questions
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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.