The answer is Azure Spot VMs, as they offer the lowest cost for interruptible workloads like a weekly data analytics job. This pricing model lets you leverage unused Azure compute capacity at discounts of up to 90% compared to pay-as-you-go, but with the trade-off that Azure can evict the VM when it needs the capacity elsewhere. For the AZ-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure’s cost optimization options, specifically distinguishing Spot VMs from reserved instances or low-priority VMs—a common trap is confusing Spot VMs with basic or burstable VMs, which are not designed for eviction. Remember that Spot VMs are perfect for batch processing, rendering, or testing that can pause and resume, not for critical, always-on services. A quick memory tip: think “Spot” as in “spotty availability” but “spot-on savings” for jobs that can be interrupted.
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 large data analytics job for a few hours each week. They want to use Azure virtual machines with the lowest possible cost, accepting that the VMs may be reclaimed by Azure at any time. Which pricing option should they choose?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Spot VMs
Spot VMs allow you to use unused Azure compute capacity at a significant discount (up to 90% compared to pay-as-you-go) but can be evicted by Azure when capacity is needed elsewhere. This makes them ideal for interruptible, batch-style workloads like a weekly data analytics job that can tolerate interruptions and resume later.
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.
✓
Spot VMs
Why this is correct
Correct. Spot VMs offer low cost but can be evicted, making them suitable for interruptible workloads like analytics jobs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reserved Instances
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Reserved Instances require a 1-3 year commitment and are not suitable for short, occasional workloads.
✗
Pay-as-you-go
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Pay-as-you-go is more expensive than Spot and does not offer the cost savings for interruptible workloads.
✗
Dedicated Hosts
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Dedicated Hosts provide physical isolation and are the most expensive option, not for cost savings.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Spot VMs with pay-as-you-go, assuming pay-as-you-go is always the cheapest flexible option, but Spot VMs offer a much lower cost specifically for workloads that can handle interruptions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Spot VMs leverage Azure's overcapacity; when Azure needs the capacity back, it sends a 30-second eviction notice via metadata service before deallocating the VM. For stateless analytics jobs, you can architect the solution to checkpoint progress to Azure Blob Storage, allowing the job to resume from the last checkpoint after eviction. The maximum discount is applied dynamically based on current supply and demand, and you can set a maximum price to avoid being evicted if the spot price exceeds your budget.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-900 question in full detail.
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: Spot VMs — Spot VMs allow you to use unused Azure compute capacity at a significant discount (up to 90% compared to pay-as-you-go) but can be evicted by Azure when capacity is needed elsewhere. This makes them ideal for interruptible, batch-style workloads like a weekly data analytics job that can tolerate interruptions and resume later.
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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