Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company runs a development and testing environment on Azure virtual machines. The environment is only needed during standard business hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM), Monday through Friday. The IT team configures an automated schedule that deallocates all VMs at 5:00 PM each weekday and starts them again at 8:00 AM the next morning. The team reports a significant reduction in their monthly Azure bill after implementing this schedule. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario primarily demonstrate?
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
Rapid elasticity and scaling
This option is incorrect. Rapid elasticity refers to the ability to automatically add or remove resources in response to changes in demand. While the company could also use autoscaling, the primary benefit demonstrated here is the ability to stop paying for resources when not in use, not dynamic scaling based on load.
B
Best answer
Measured service and consumption-based pricing
This option is correct. Cloud providers measure resource usage (e.g., compute hours, storage) and charge only for what is consumed. By deallocating VMs during off-hours, the company avoids paying for compute time during those periods, directly leveraging the consumption-based cost model. This is a key advantage of the cloud over traditional on-premises infrastructure, where hardware costs are fixed regardless of usage.
C
Distractor review
High availability
This option is incorrect. High availability is about ensuring that applications remain accessible and operational during failures (e.g., using redundant VMs across availability zones). The scenario does not involve maintaining uptime during failures; it focuses on cost savings by turning off resources when not needed.
D
Distractor review
Geographic distribution
This option is incorrect. Geographic distribution refers to deploying resources in multiple Azure regions to reduce latency for global users or to support disaster recovery. The scenario describes a schedule based on business hours, not deploying resources in different geographical locations.
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.
Related practice questions
Related AZ-900 practice-question pages
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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: Measured service and consumption-based pricing — This scenario illustrates the consumption-based pricing (also referred to as 'measured service') characteristic of cloud computing. In the cloud, you pay only for the resources you use while they are allocated and running. By deallocating the virtual machines outside of business hours, the company stops incurring compute costs during those periods, while still paying for persistent storage (e.g., disks). This ability to stop paying for compute resources when they are not needed is a direct benefit of the metered, pay-as-you-go model. In contrast, on-premises hardware would incur fixed costs regardless of usage.
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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