- A
The company (customer)
Why wrong: This choice is incorrect because in a PaaS service like Azure SQL Database, the customer does not have administrative access to the underlying operating system and therefore cannot patch it. The customer's responsibility includes securing the database itself (e.g., authentication, encryption at rest/transit), but not OS-level maintenance.
- B
Microsoft (Azure)
This choice is correct because Azure SQL Database is a PaaS offering. Microsoft is responsible for managing the host operating system, including applying security updates, patching, and maintaining the infrastructure. The customer only interacts with the database instance at the logical level.
- C
Both the company and Microsoft share this responsibility
Why wrong: This choice is incorrect because the responsibility for OS patching is not shared. The provider handles the host OS; the customer handles the data and database access. Shared responsibility applies to other areas, such as network controls, but not to patching the underlying OS in PaaS.
- D
A third-party managed service provider
Why wrong: This choice is incorrect because Azure SQL Database is a first-party Microsoft service. There is no third-party vendor involved in managing the infrastructure. If the customer hired a third party to manage their Azure resources, that vendor might assist with configuration, but they would still rely on Microsoft for OS patching.
Quick Answer
The answer is Microsoft, because Azure SQL Database is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering where the cloud provider manages the underlying host operating system. In the shared responsibility model for OS patching, responsibility shifts from the customer to Microsoft as you move from Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to PaaS; with Azure SQL Database, Microsoft handles all hypervisor, host OS, and physical infrastructure updates, while the customer only manages data, access, and database-level configurations. On the AZ-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of how the shared responsibility model applies to different service models—a common trap is assuming the customer must patch the OS for any database service, but PaaS services like Azure SQL Database transfer that duty to Azure. Remember the memory tip: “PaaS patches the platform, IaaS is on you”—if you see a managed database service, the provider owns the OS patches.
AZ-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe cloud concepts. 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.
A company migrates its on-premises SQL Server database to Azure SQL Database. The company's security team is concerned about who is responsible for applying security updates to the operating system that hosts the database engine. According to the shared responsibility model for cloud computing, who is responsible for patching the operating system of the underlying host?
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
Microsoft (Azure)
In the shared responsibility model for Azure SQL Database, Microsoft is responsible for the underlying infrastructure, including the operating system that hosts the database engine. Azure SQL Database is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering, where Microsoft manages the host OS, applies security patches, and ensures the physical and virtual environment is secure. The customer is only responsible for data, access management, and database-level configurations.
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.
- ✗
The company (customer)
Why it's wrong here
This choice is incorrect because in a PaaS service like Azure SQL Database, the customer does not have administrative access to the underlying operating system and therefore cannot patch it. The customer's responsibility includes securing the database itself (e.g., authentication, encryption at rest/transit), but not OS-level maintenance.
- ✓
Microsoft (Azure)
Why this is correct
This choice is correct because Azure SQL Database is a PaaS offering. Microsoft is responsible for managing the host operating system, including applying security updates, patching, and maintaining the infrastructure. The customer only interacts with the database instance at the logical level.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Both the company and Microsoft share this responsibility
Why it's wrong here
This choice is incorrect because the responsibility for OS patching is not shared. The provider handles the host OS; the customer handles the data and database access. Shared responsibility applies to other areas, such as network controls, but not to patching the underlying OS in PaaS.
- ✗
A third-party managed service provider
Why it's wrong here
This choice is incorrect because Azure SQL Database is a first-party Microsoft service. There is no third-party vendor involved in managing the infrastructure. If the customer hired a third party to manage their Azure resources, that vendor might assist with configuration, but they would still rely on Microsoft for OS patching.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse IaaS (where the customer patches the OS) with PaaS (where Microsoft patches the OS), leading them to incorrectly select the customer or shared responsibility options.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure SQL Database runs on a multi-tenant or single-tenant infrastructure managed by Microsoft, where the host OS is abstracted from the customer. Microsoft uses automated patching processes, such as Azure Update Manager and controlled deployment rings, to apply security updates without customer intervention. In a real-world scenario, if a critical OS vulnerability like CVE-2024-1234 is disclosed, Microsoft patches the host OS across all Azure SQL Database instances, while the customer must still apply database-level updates like index maintenance or query plan changes.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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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: Microsoft (Azure) — In the shared responsibility model for Azure SQL Database, Microsoft is responsible for the underlying infrastructure, including the operating system that hosts the database engine. Azure SQL Database is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering, where Microsoft manages the host OS, applies security patches, and ensures the physical and virtual environment is secure. The customer is only responsible for data, access management, and database-level configurations.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on AZ-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company runs its production database on an Azure SQL Database (PaaS) and its custom application on an Azure virtual machine (IaaS). The company needs to ensure that operating system security patches are applied. According to the shared responsibility model, which resource requires the company to apply OS patches?
medium- A.Azure SQL Database only
- ✓ B.Azure virtual machine only
- C.Both Azure SQL Database and the virtual machine
- D.Neither resource requires the company to apply OS patches
Why B: In the shared responsibility model, the customer is responsible for securing the operating system on IaaS resources like Azure virtual machines. Azure SQL Database is a PaaS service where Microsoft manages the underlying OS, including patch management. Therefore, only the Azure virtual machine requires the company to apply OS security patches.
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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