Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company is planning to migrate its customer relationship management (CRM) system to the cloud. The company is evaluating three service models: deploying the CRM on Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS), using Azure App Service to host a custom CRM web application (PaaS), and subscribing to a cloud-based CRM software like Dynamics 365 (SaaS). According to the Microsoft shared responsibility model, which of the following statements accurately describes the division of security responsibilities across these three options?
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
Best answer
In all three models, Microsoft is responsible for securing the physical datacenter and network infrastructure. For IaaS, the customer is responsible for the guest OS and applications; for PaaS, the customer is responsible for the application code and data; for SaaS, the customer is responsible for data and user accounts.
This option correctly describes the shared responsibility divisions: physical security is always Microsoft's responsibility; under IaaS the customer manages OS/apps; under PaaS the customer manages code/data; under SaaS the customer manages data and accounts.
B
Distractor review
In IaaS, Microsoft is responsible for the guest OS; in PaaS, Microsoft is responsible for the application code; in SaaS, the customer is responsible only for data.
This is incorrect because in IaaS the customer is responsible for the guest OS, not Microsoft. In PaaS, the customer is responsible for the application code. In SaaS, the customer is responsible for data and user access, not just data.
C
Distractor review
In IaaS, the customer is responsible for everything from the physical infrastructure up; in PaaS, Microsoft is responsible for the application runtime and the customer is responsible only for data; in SaaS, Microsoft is responsible for everything.
This is incorrect because in IaaS, Microsoft is responsible for the physical infrastructure (datacenter, networking, servers). In PaaS, the customer is also responsible for application code and data, not just data. In SaaS, the customer is responsible for data and user access, not nothing.
D
Distractor review
In all three models, the customer is responsible for securing all application code and data, while Microsoft secures the underlying hardware and operating system.
This is incorrect because the division of responsibility varies by model. For IaaS, the customer secures the OS; for SaaS, Microsoft secures the underlying OS and application; the customer does not have full responsibility for application code in all models.
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.
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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: In all three models, Microsoft is responsible for securing the physical datacenter and network infrastructure. For IaaS, the customer is responsible for the guest OS and applications; for PaaS, the customer is responsible for the application code and data; for SaaS, the customer is responsible for data and user accounts. — The shared responsibility model states that the responsibility for security depends on the service model. For IaaS, the customer manages the guest OS, applications, and network configuration. For PaaS, the customer manages the application code and data, while Microsoft handles the runtime environment and middleware. For SaaS, the customer manages data, identities, and access, while Microsoft manages the application and underlying infrastructure. Option A correctly captures these distinctions.
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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