- A
Physical security of the datacenters
Correct. Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of its datacenters, including perimeter fencing, guards, biometric access, and environmental controls like cooling and power.
- B
Network controls at the hypervisor layer
Correct. The hypervisor and the underlying network fabric (e.g., virtual switches) are managed by Microsoft. They ensure isolation between tenants and protect against attacks on the virtualization platform.
- C
Patching the guest operating system on the VM
Why wrong: Incorrect. The customer is responsible for maintaining the guest OS, including applying security patches and updates. Microsoft only patches the host OS and hypervisor.
- D
Configuring network security group (NSG) firewall rules
Why wrong: Incorrect. NSG rules are customer-managed. The customer must define inbound and outbound traffic rules to protect their VMs. Microsoft does not configure customer-specific firewall policies.
SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.. 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.
An organization is migrating its on-premises applications to Azure Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). According to the shared responsibility model, which of the following security responsibilities remain with Microsoft? (Select two.)
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
Physical security of the datacenters
In the shared responsibility model for IaaS, Microsoft retains responsibility for the physical security of its datacenters, including access controls, surveillance, and environmental protections. Additionally, Microsoft manages security at the hypervisor layer, which includes network controls that isolate virtual machines from each other and from the underlying host. These responsibilities are inherent to the infrastructure provider and cannot be delegated to the customer.
Key principle: Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Physical security of the datacenters
Why this is correct
Correct. Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of its datacenters, including perimeter fencing, guards, biometric access, and environmental controls like cooling and power.
Related concept
Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.
- ✓
Network controls at the hypervisor layer
Why this is correct
Correct. The hypervisor and the underlying network fabric (e.g., virtual switches) are managed by Microsoft. They ensure isolation between tenants and protect against attacks on the virtualization platform.
Related concept
Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.
- ✗
Patching the guest operating system on the VM
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The customer is responsible for maintaining the guest OS, including applying security patches and updates. Microsoft only patches the host OS and hypervisor.
- ✗
Configuring network security group (NSG) firewall rules
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. NSG rules are customer-managed. The customer must define inbound and outbound traffic rules to protect their VMs. Microsoft does not configure customer-specific firewall policies.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse patching responsibilities, assuming Microsoft patches the guest OS in IaaS, or mistakenly think NSG configuration is a Microsoft responsibility because it is a built-in Azure feature.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The hypervisor layer network controls include virtual switch policies and VLAN isolation that prevent VM-to-VM traffic from bypassing the host, enforced by the Azure Fabric Controller. Physical datacenter security involves multi-factor authentication at perimeter doors, biometric scanners, and 24/7 monitoring, all audited under SOC 2 and ISO 27001. In contrast, NSG rules are stateful firewall rules evaluated by the Azure host networking stack, but their configuration is entirely under customer control via the Azure portal, CLI, or ARM templates.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.
- Physical security includes guards, fences, biometric access, and environmental controls.
- This falls under 'security *of* the cloud' in the shared responsibility model.
- For IaaS, Microsoft secures the host OS and hypervisor, not the guest OS.
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
Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.
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.
Review microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters., then practise related SC-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-900 question test?
Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — This question tests Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Physical security of the datacenters — In the shared responsibility model for IaaS, Microsoft retains responsibility for the physical security of its datacenters, including access controls, surveillance, and environmental protections. Additionally, Microsoft manages security at the hypervisor layer, which includes network controls that isolate virtual machines from each other and from the underlying host. These responsibilities are inherent to the infrastructure provider and cannot be delegated to the customer.
What should I do if I get this SC-900 question wrong?
Review microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters., then practise related SC-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Microsoft is responsible for the physical security of Azure datacenters.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SC-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 SC-900 exam.
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