- A
Locally redundant storage (LRS)
Why wrong: LRS replicates data three times within a single data center in the primary region. This protects against server rack and drive failures but does not protect against a regional outage, so it does not meet the requirement.
- B
Geo-redundant storage (GRS)
GRS replicates data asynchronously to a paired secondary region. It provides protection against a complete regional outage without offering read access to the secondary copy, which keeps costs lower than RA-GRS. This meets the company's requirement.
- C
Zone-redundant storage (ZRS)
Why wrong: ZRS replicates data synchronously across three Azure availability zones within the primary region. It protects against a zone failure but not against a regional outage, so it does not meet the requirement.
- D
Read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS)
Why wrong: RA-GRS replicates to a secondary region like GRS, but it also provides read access to the secondary copy. This incurs additional cost (due to the read access functionality). Since the company does not need read access unless the primary fails, GRS is the more cost-effective option.
Quick Answer
The answer is Geo-redundant storage (GRS). GRS protects against a complete regional outage by replicating your data synchronously three times within the primary region using locally redundant storage (LRS), then asynchronously copying it to a secondary region hundreds of miles away. This meets the requirement for geo-redundant storage without read access to the secondary region, because the secondary copy remains inaccessible for reads unless Microsoft initiates a failover, which also minimizes storage costs compared to read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS). On the AZ-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the trade-off between durability and cost; a common trap is choosing RA-GRS when the question explicitly states no read access is needed. Remember the memory tip: “GRS guards the region, but you can’t read the reserve.”
AZ-900 Describe Azure architecture and services Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe azure architecture and services. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 uses Azure Blob Storage to store archival backups of financial records. The company requires that the data is protected against a complete regional outage by replicating it to another Azure region. However, they do not need to access the replicated copy unless the primary region fails. The company wants to minimize storage costs while meeting this requirement. Which type of storage replication should the company configure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
Geo-redundant storage (GRS)
Geo-redundant storage (GRS) replicates your data synchronously three times within the primary region using LRS, then asynchronously to a secondary region hundreds of miles away. This meets the requirement of protecting against a complete regional outage while minimizing costs, because the secondary copy is not accessible for reads unless Microsoft initiates a failover, and GRS is less expensive than RA-GRS which includes read-access to the secondary region.
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.
- ✗
Locally redundant storage (LRS)
Why it's wrong here
LRS replicates data three times within a single data center in the primary region. This protects against server rack and drive failures but does not protect against a regional outage, so it does not meet the requirement.
- ✓
Geo-redundant storage (GRS)
Why this is correct
GRS replicates data asynchronously to a paired secondary region. It provides protection against a complete regional outage without offering read access to the secondary copy, which keeps costs lower than RA-GRS. This meets the company's requirement.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "primary", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Zone-redundant storage (ZRS)
Why it's wrong here
ZRS replicates data synchronously across three Azure availability zones within the primary region. It protects against a zone failure but not against a regional outage, so it does not meet the requirement.
- ✗
Read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS)
Why it's wrong here
RA-GRS replicates to a secondary region like GRS, but it also provides read access to the secondary copy. This incurs additional cost (due to the read access functionality). Since the company does not need read access unless the primary fails, GRS is the more cost-effective option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse GRS with RA-GRS, assuming that geo-replication automatically provides read access to the secondary copy, but RA-GRS is a separate, more expensive SKU that enables continuous read access, which is not required when you only need failover capability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, GRS uses asynchronous replication with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of typically less than 15 minutes, meaning data loss in a regional disaster is limited to that window. The secondary region is paired with the primary (e.g., East US with West US) and the failover is customer-initiated via the Azure portal or API, not automatic, which aligns with the 'do not need to access the replicated copy unless the primary region fails' requirement. In a real-world scenario, if the primary region suffers a catastrophic event, you would call the Azure Support or use the 'Customer-managed failover' feature to promote the secondary region to become the new primary.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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: Geo-redundant storage (GRS) — Geo-redundant storage (GRS) replicates your data synchronously three times within the primary region using LRS, then asynchronously to a secondary region hundreds of miles away. This meets the requirement of protecting against a complete regional outage while minimizing costs, because the secondary copy is not accessible for reads unless Microsoft initiates a failover, and GRS is less expensive than RA-GRS which includes read-access to the secondary region.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary", "minimum / minimize". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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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