Azure Certification Vocabulary — AZ-900 & AZ-104 English
Practice the key terms and exam language used in Microsoft Azure certifications: AZ-900 Fundamentals and AZ-104 Administrator.
0 / 22 completed
1 / 22
An AZ-900 exam question asks about the shared responsibility model. In a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) deployment, who is responsible for managing the operating system?
The shared responsibility model is a core AZ-900 concept. In PaaS, the cloud provider manages infrastructure, OS, and runtime. The customer manages applications and data. In IaaS, the customer also manages the OS.
2 / 22
An AZ-104 exam question asks which Azure service provides identity and access management. Which is correct?
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is the primary IAM service. Azure Key Vault manages secrets and certificates. Azure Policy enforces governance rules. AZ-104 candidates must know the exact service boundaries of each.
3 / 22
An exam question uses the qualifier 'MOST cost-effective'. You are choosing between Azure Reserved Instances and Pay-As-You-Go for a steady-state workload running 24/7. Which is MOST cost-effective?
'MOST cost-effective' on Azure exams for predictable 24/7 workloads means Reserved Instances. Spot/Preemptible instances are cheapest but not suitable for steady workloads due to interruption risk.
4 / 22
An AZ-900 question asks about the difference between vertical and horizontal scaling. Which description is correct?
Vertical vs horizontal scaling is a fundamental AZ-900 concept. Azure supports both: VM resizing for vertical, and VM Scale Sets or App Service auto-scale rules for horizontal. Exam questions often test whether you know which is appropriate for a given scenario.
5 / 22
An AZ-104 question asks how to grant a user the minimum permissions to read and list resources in a resource group but not modify them. Which role satisfies this?
Azure RBAC Reader role provides read-only access. Contributor allows modifications. Owner includes permission management. The principle of least privilege — granting only the permissions needed — is central to AZ-104 exam scenarios.
6 / 22
Reviewer: 'Hey team, I've spotted a potential issue with the deployment script. It's attempting to directly access the Azure Key Vault endpoint without proper authentication. This could expose sensitive keys if the connection isn't secured correctly. Let's add a managed identity to the App Service and configure it to use the Key Vault resource.
Developer (responding via Slack): 'Okay, I see your point about the direct access. I was going to use a service principal for authentication, but I wasn't sure if that was the best approach in this scenario.'This question tests understanding of managed identities in Azure. While service principals can be used, managed identities offer a simpler and more secure approach by automatically handling the credentials. Using a managed identity eliminates the need to manage secrets directly within the App Service configuration, reducing potential errors and improving security posture.
7 / 22
Reviewer: 'The deployment script is using a service principal for authentication against Azure Key Vault. While functional, it's not ideal for our new App Service which now utilizes a managed identity. Using a service principal introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity and potential security risks if the credentials aren't rotated regularly. Let's update the script to leverage the App Service's managed identity for Key Vault access.'This question tests understanding of managed identities versus service principals for Azure authentication. Managed identities automatically handle credential rotation and eliminate the need to manage credentials directly, reducing operational overhead and security risks. Option A misrepresents a key benefit—simplification—and option D is overly restrictive; both approaches can be used but managed identities are generally preferred due to their inherent security advantages. Option C's wording is too lenient regarding credential management.
8 / 22
The correct answer (option 2) demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge the feedback and a commitment to addressing security concerns. The other options are problematic: option 1 dismisses the legitimate concern, option 3 is overly defensive and doesn't demonstrate understanding of best practices, and option 4 introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity that wasn't present in the original scenario. Mark should prioritize security when deploying functions, especially those handling sensitive data – Key Vault integration with managed identities is the standard approach.
9 / 22
Reviewer: 'Hey team, I've spotted a potential issue with the deployment script. It's attempting to directly access the Azure Key Vault endpoint without proper authentication. This could expose sensitive keys if the connection isn't secured correctly. Let's add a managed identity to the App Service and configure it to use the Key Vault resource.
Developer (responding via Slack): 'Okay, I see your point about the direct access. I was going to use a service principal for authentication, but I wasn't sure if that was the best approach in this scenario.'This question tests understanding of managed identities in Azure. While service principals can be used, managed identities offer a simpler and more secure approach by automatically handling the credentials. Using a managed identity eliminates the need to manage secrets directly within the App Service configuration, reducing potential errors and improving security posture.
10 / 22
Reviewer: 'The deployment script is using a service principal for authentication against Azure Key Vault. While functional, it's not ideal for our new App Service which now utilizes a managed identity. Using a service principal introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity and potential security risks if the credentials aren't rotated regularly. Let's update the script to leverage the App Service's managed identity for Key Vault access.'This question tests understanding of managed identities versus service principals for Azure authentication. Managed identities automatically handle credential rotation and eliminate the need to manage credentials directly, reducing operational overhead and security risks. Option A misrepresents a key benefit—simplification—and option D is overly restrictive; both approaches can be used but managed identities are generally preferred due to their inherent security advantages. Option C's wording is too lenient regarding credential management.
11 / 22
The correct answer (option 2) demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge the feedback and a commitment to addressing security concerns. The other options are problematic: option 1 dismisses the legitimate concern, option 3 is overly defensive and doesn't demonstrate understanding of best practices, and option 4 introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity that wasn't present in the original scenario. Mark should prioritize security when deploying functions, especially those handling sensitive data – Key Vault integration with managed identities is the standard approach.
12 / 22
Reviewer: 'Hey team, I've spotted a potential issue with the deployment script. It's attempting to directly access the Azure Key Vault endpoint without proper authentication. This could expose sensitive keys if the connection isn't secured correctly. Let's add a managed identity to the App Service and configure it to use the Key Vault resource.
Developer (responding via Slack): 'Okay, I see your point about the direct access. I was going to use a service principal for authentication, but I wasn't sure if that was the best approach in this scenario.'This question tests understanding of managed identities in Azure. While service principals can be used, managed identities offer a simpler and more secure approach by automatically handling the credentials. Using a managed identity eliminates the need to manage secrets directly within the App Service configuration, reducing potential errors and improving security posture.
13 / 22
Reviewer: 'The deployment script is using a service principal for authentication against Azure Key Vault. While functional, it's not ideal for our new App Service which now utilizes a managed identity. Using a service principal introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity and potential security risks if the credentials aren't rotated regularly. Let's update the script to leverage the App Service's managed identity for Key Vault access.'This question tests understanding of managed identities versus service principals for Azure authentication. Managed identities automatically handle credential rotation and eliminate the need to manage credentials directly, reducing operational overhead and security risks. Option A misrepresents a key benefit—simplification—and option D is overly restrictive; both approaches can be used but managed identities are generally preferred due to their inherent security advantages. Option C's wording is too lenient regarding credential management.
14 / 22
The correct answer (option 2) demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge the feedback and a commitment to addressing security concerns. The other options are problematic: option 1 dismisses the legitimate concern, option 3 is overly defensive and doesn't demonstrate understanding of best practices, and option 4 introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity that wasn't present in the original scenario. Mark should prioritize security when deploying functions, especially those handling sensitive data – Key Vault integration with managed identities is the standard approach.
15 / 22
Reviewer: 'Hey team, I've spotted a potential issue with the deployment script. It's attempting to directly access the Azure Key Vault endpoint without proper authentication. This could expose sensitive keys if the connection isn't secured correctly. Let's add a managed identity to the App Service and configure it to use the Key Vault resource.
Developer (responding via Slack): 'Okay, I see your point about the direct access. I was going to use a service principal for authentication, but I wasn't sure if that was the best approach in this scenario.'This question tests understanding of managed identities in Azure. While service principals can be used, managed identities offer a simpler and more secure approach by automatically handling the credentials. Using a managed identity eliminates the need to manage secrets directly within the App Service configuration, reducing potential errors and improving security posture.
16 / 22
Reviewer: 'The deployment script is using a service principal for authentication against Azure Key Vault. While functional, it's not ideal for our new App Service which now utilizes a managed identity. Using a service principal introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity and potential security risks if the credentials aren't rotated regularly. Let's update the script to leverage the App Service's managed identity for Key Vault access.'This question tests understanding of managed identities versus service principals for Azure authentication. Managed identities automatically handle credential rotation and eliminate the need to manage credentials directly, reducing operational overhead and security risks. Option A misrepresents a key benefit—simplification—and option D is overly restrictive; both approaches can be used but managed identities are generally preferred due to their inherent security advantages. Option C's wording is too lenient regarding credential management.
17 / 22
The correct answer (option 2) demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge the feedback and a commitment to addressing security concerns. The other options are problematic: option 1 dismisses the legitimate concern, option 3 is overly defensive and doesn't demonstrate understanding of best practices, and option 4 introduces an unnecessary layer of complexity that wasn't present in the original scenario. Mark should prioritize security when deploying functions, especially those handling sensitive data – Key Vault integration with managed identities is the standard approach.
18 / 22
Reviewer: 'Mark, the deployment script is using a `Managed Identity` for authentication to Azure Storage. However, it's still configured with verbose logging that includes the storage account key in every log entry. This poses a significant security risk if the logs are exposed. Can you please implement a logging strategy that avoids including sensitive information?' What is the BEST way to respond to this review comment?
The correct response demonstrates professional communication and seeks more information before implementing changes. Simply agreeing without understanding the issue is insufficient. Asking for clarification ensures you fully grasp the problem and avoid unnecessary modifications. Option C is incorrect because it doesn't address the immediate security concern.
19 / 22
Alex: 'Hey team, I'm getting a 503 error when trying to deploy my new Azure App Service. The logs show that the service is timing out while attempting to connect to the database. I've increased the instance size, but it's still failing.' What is the MOST appropriate follow-up message Alex should send?
Alex needs specific information to troubleshoot the issue effectively. Asking about network connectivity might be relevant but doesn't directly address the timing out error. Sharing the connection string allows for immediate verification of potential misconfigurations. Option C is correct because it's a direct request for key details needed for diagnosis.
20 / 22
Mark has written the following PR description: 'Updated the Azure Function to use the new database connection string. The function now connects to the production database.' What is the PRIMARY issue with this PR description?
The PR description needs more context. While it states a change was made, it doesn't explain *how* or *why*, nor does it highlight any potential security implications (like needing to ensure the connection string is properly managed and rotated). A good PR description should clearly outline the purpose of the update and its associated risks.
21 / 22
During a daily stand-up, Sarah reports: 'I'm working on configuring Azure Policy to enforce resource naming conventions across all our deployments. I've defined a policy that requires all resources to include the prefix 'WebApp-' in their names.' What is the MOST important thing Sarah should emphasize when explaining this to the team?
While technical details are important, the primary focus during a stand-up update should be on the *impact* of the change and any necessary considerations for implementation. Highlighting the phased rollout strategy demonstrates awareness of potential disruption and ensures smooth adoption. Option C is misleading because policies don't automatically fix existing issues.
22 / 22
You are receiving the following API response from Azure Resource Manager when attempting to list all virtual machines in a subscription:
```json
{"error": {"code": "InvalidArgument", "message": "The request is invalid."}}
```
What is the MOST likely cause of this error?
The `InvalidArgument` error code typically indicates an issue with the request itself. In this case, it strongly suggests you lack the necessary permissions to access the requested resources. While other issues *could* cause similar errors, permission problems are the most common reason for this specific response.
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