Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company deploys two Azure virtual machines (VMs) into the same availability set. The first VM runs a web server and the second runs a database server. The company's primary concern is that during Azure platform maintenance events (e.g., OS updates to the underlying host) or in the event of a hardware failure in the datacenter, both VMs should not be impacted at the same time. Which benefit does placing the VMs in the same availability set provide?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Both VMs will be placed on the same physical server for performance consistency.
Incorrect. An availability set intentionally separates VMs across multiple physical servers (fault domains) to avoid a single point of failure. Placing them on the same server would create a single point of failure, which is the opposite of the intended benefit.
B
Best answer
The VMs will be distributed across different fault domains and update domains within the datacenter.
Correct. When VMs are added to an availability set, Azure automatically distributes them across up to three fault domains and multiple update domains. This distribution ensures that a hardware failure or planned maintenance event affects only one fault domain or update domain at a time, keeping the other VM running.
C
Distractor review
The VMs will be automatically load-balanced and scaled based on CPU usage.
Incorrect. An availability set does not provide load balancing or auto-scaling. Load balancing requires a separate Azure Load Balancer or Application Gateway. Auto-scaling requires a Virtual Machine Scale Set. The sole purpose of an availability set is to improve availability by separating VMs within a datacenter.
D
Distractor review
The VMs will be replicated to a second Azure region for disaster recovery.
Incorrect. An availability set operates only within a single Azure region and datacenter. For cross-region disaster recovery, you would need Azure Site Recovery or paired regions. Availability sets provide intra-datacenter resilience, not geo-redundancy.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A developer is building a serverless application that requires integration with an on-premises SQL Server database for real-time data processing. The on-premises network is connected to Azure via a site-to-site VPN. Which Azure service would allow the function to securely access the on-premises database without exposing it to the public internet?
Question 2
A solutions architect is designing a storage solution for a large media company. The company needs to store video files that are accessed infrequently but must be retained for several years for compliance. Which two Azure storage options meet these requirements? (Select two.)
Question 3
A company deploys a multi-tier application using Azure virtual machines. The web tier VMs must be evenly distributed across two distinct data centers within an Azure region to avoid a single point of failure from an infrastructure outage. Which Azure construct should they use to meet this requirement?
Question 4
A company wants to enforce a set of security policies across all their Azure subscriptions. They have created several individual policy definitions. Which Azure construct should they use to group these policies together and assign them as a single package?
Question 5
A company deploys a line-of-business application on an Azure virtual machine. The IT team wants to ensure the application remains secure. According to the shared responsibility model, which of the following security tasks is the sole responsibility of the customer (the company)?
Question 6
A company develops a web API that runs on Azure App Service. The development team wants to deploy a new version of the API to a staging environment, run integration tests against it, and then gradually shift production traffic to the new version. If any issues are detected, they want to immediately roll back to the previous version without redeploying. Which Azure App Service feature should the team use to meet these requirements?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-900 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The VMs will be distributed across different fault domains and update domains within the datacenter. — An availability set ensures that VMs are distributed across multiple fault domains and update domains within an Azure datacenter. Fault domains represent groups of VMs that share a common power source and network switch; if a hardware failure occurs, only one fault domain is affected. Update domains define VMs that will be rebooted together during planned maintenance. By placing both VMs in the same availability set, Azure guarantees they are allocated to different fault domains (minimizing simultaneous hardware failure impact) and different update domains (preventing simultaneous reboot during maintenance). This configuration provides resilience within a single datacenter, but it does not protect against an entire datacenter failure, nor does it automatically scale VMs or create a load-balanced endpoint by itself.
What should I do if I get this AZ-900 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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