- A
Azure Load Balancer
Why wrong: Azure Load Balancer operates at layer 4 of the OSI model and can distribute traffic based on IP and port. However, it does not support TLS termination or URL-based routing, so it does not meet the requirements of this scenario.
- B
Azure Application Gateway
Azure Application Gateway is a layer 7 load balancer that provides TLS termination, URL-based routing, and other advanced features. It is the correct choice for the stated requirements.
- C
Azure Traffic Manager
Why wrong: Azure Traffic Manager is a DNS-based traffic routing service that directs users to the most appropriate regional endpoint based on routing methods (e.g., performance, priority). It does not provide TLS termination or URL-based routing within a single region.
- D
Azure Front Door
Why wrong: Azure Front Door is a global layer 7 service that provides features like TLS termination, URL-based routing, and acceleration. However, for a single-region deployment where global distribution is not needed, Azure Application Gateway is the more appropriate and cost-effective service.
AZ-900 Describe Azure architecture and services Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe azure architecture and services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 runs a web application on two Azure virtual machines in the same region. The application must be accessible from the internet, and incoming traffic should be distributed evenly across both VMs. Additionally, the company needs to offload Transport Layer Security (TLS) termination to a single service and route requests based on the URL path (e.g., /images to one set of VMs, /api to another). Which Azure service should the company use?
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 Application Gateway
Azure Application Gateway is the correct choice because it is a Layer 7 (HTTP/HTTPS) load balancer that supports TLS termination, URL path-based routing, and cookie-based session affinity. This allows the company to offload TLS decryption to a single service and route requests like /images or /api to different backend pools, meeting all stated requirements.
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 Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
Azure Load Balancer operates at layer 4 of the OSI model and can distribute traffic based on IP and port. However, it does not support TLS termination or URL-based routing, so it does not meet the requirements of this scenario.
- ✓
Azure Application Gateway
Why this is correct
Azure Application Gateway is a layer 7 load balancer that provides TLS termination, URL-based routing, and other advanced features. It is the correct choice for the stated requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure Traffic Manager
- ✗
Azure Front Door
Why it's wrong here
Azure Front Door is a global layer 7 service that provides features like TLS termination, URL-based routing, and acceleration. However, for a single-region deployment where global distribution is not needed, Azure Application Gateway is the more appropriate and cost-effective service.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Layer 4 load balancing (Azure Load Balancer) with Layer 7 application routing (Azure Application Gateway), assuming any 'load balancer' can handle URL paths and TLS offloading, but only Application Gateway operates at the HTTP/HTTPS layer.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Azure Load Balancer operates at layer 4 of the OSI model and can distribute traffic based on IP and port. However, it does not support TLS termination or URL-based routing, so it does not meet the requirements of this scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Azure Application Gateway uses a web application firewall (WAF) and can terminate TLS using certificates stored in the gateway, then forward unencrypted traffic to backend VMs. URL path-based routing is implemented via path maps that match patterns like /images/* to specific backend pools, enabling microservices-style architectures. In a real-world scenario, this allows an e-commerce site to route /checkout to a high-performance pool while /static goes to a CDN-backed pool, all while centralizing TLS management.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-900 question test?
Describe Azure architecture and services — This question tests Describe Azure architecture and services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Application Gateway — Azure Application Gateway is the correct choice because it is a Layer 7 (HTTP/HTTPS) load balancer that supports TLS termination, URL path-based routing, and cookie-based session affinity. This allows the company to offload TLS decryption to a single service and route requests like /images or /api to different backend pools, meeting all stated requirements.
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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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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