AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam

AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Practice Exam

The AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure certification exam is designed for developers who build cloud applications and services using Microsoft Azure. This certification validates your expertise in designing, building, testing, and maintaining cloud solutions on the Azure platform. Whether you’re a software engineer, cloud developer, or IT professional aiming to demonstrate your skills in Azure development, the AZ-204 exam is a critical step toward career advancement in the growing field of cloud computing.

What Is the AZ-204 Certification Exam?

The AZ-204 exam focuses on practical knowledge and skills required to develop Azure-based applications. It covers various development tasks such as creating Azure Functions, implementing Azure compute solutions, developing for Azure storage, integrating with third-party services, and securing cloud applications. Earning this certification proves you can effectively leverage Azure services to build scalable, secure, and efficient solutions.

What You Will Learn

By preparing for the AZ-204 exam, you will gain hands-on experience and deep understanding of:

• Developing Azure compute solutions including Azure Functions and App Services

• Implementing Azure storage solutions with Blob storage, Cosmos DB, and relational databases

• Creating Azure security and identity management, including managing authentication and authorization

• Integrating Azure services like Event Grid, Service Bus, and Logic Apps for building event-driven architectures

• Monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing Azure solutions to ensure performance and reliability

• Deploying and managing Azure solutions using Azure DevOps and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools

Key Topics Covered

• Develop Azure compute solutions

• Develop for Azure storage

• Implement Azure security

• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions

• Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services

Why Choose Exam Sage for Your AZ-204 Exam Preparation?

At Exam Sage, we understand the importance of reliable, comprehensive, and up-to-date practice exams for your certification success. Our AZ-204 Practice Exam offers:

• High-quality questions closely aligned with the latest Microsoft exam objectives

• Detailed explanations for every question to enhance your understanding

• Realistic practice environment to simulate the actual exam experience

• Regular updates reflecting the latest changes in Azure technologies and exam patterns

• Accessible on multiple devices, so you can study anytime, anywhere

Prepare confidently with Exam Sage and boost your chances of passing the AZ-204 certification exam on your first try. Our practice tests are designed to help you master the skills and concepts that matter most in Microsoft Azure development.

Sample Questions and Answers

1. You are creating an Azure Function app that triggers on an HTTP request. What binding type should you use for the input?

A. Queue trigger
B. Blob trigger
C. HTTP trigger
D. Timer trigger

Answer: C. HTTP trigger
Explanation: An HTTP trigger allows your function to be triggered by an HTTP request, making it suitable for web APIs.

2. Which Azure service should you use to store semi-structured data in JSON format?

A. Azure Table Storage
B. Azure SQL Database
C. Azure Blob Storage
D. Azure Cosmos DB

Answer: D. Azure Cosmos DB
Explanation: Cosmos DB supports multiple data models including document (JSON) and is ideal for semi-structured data.

3. What is the primary benefit of using Azure Managed Identity with an Azure Web App?

A. Automatically scales resources
B. Reduces cost by using shared keys
C. Eliminates the need for storing credentials
D. Enhances performance

Answer: C. Eliminates the need for storing credentials
Explanation: Managed Identity enables secure authentication with Azure services without storing credentials in code.

4. Which service should be used to cache application data in memory for performance enhancement?

A. Azure SQL
B. Azure Blob Storage
C. Azure Redis Cache
D. Azure Queue Storage

Answer: C. Azure Redis Cache
Explanation: Azure Redis Cache provides in-memory data caching, significantly improving application response times.

5. When should you use a Durable Function instead of a regular Azure Function?

A. For one-time jobs
B. For processing large images
C. For long-running, stateful workflows
D. For short-lived event-driven actions

Answer: C. For long-running, stateful workflows
Explanation: Durable Functions manage state and allow orchestration for long-running processes.

6. What is the purpose of Application Insights?

A. Monitor billing
B. Store large files
C. Collect telemetry and diagnose issues
D. Manage API security

Answer: C. Collect telemetry and diagnose issues
Explanation: Application Insights collects performance and usage data to help monitor and diagnose live applications.

7. Which Azure service allows you to deploy containerized applications with built-in scaling and orchestration?

A. Azure Container Registry
B. Azure App Service
C. Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
D. Azure Functions

Answer: C. Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
Explanation: AKS is a fully managed Kubernetes service for deploying, managing, and scaling containers.

8. What does the [FromBody] attribute in an ASP.NET Core controller method specify?

A. Data comes from query string
B. Data comes from HTTP headers
C. Data comes from the request body
D. Data comes from the route

Answer: C. Data comes from the request body
Explanation: [FromBody] binds the data from the request body to the method parameter.

9. Which option best supports retry logic in Azure SDK operations?

A. Manual loops
B. RetryPolicy class
C. Singleton pattern
D. Circuit breaker

Answer: B. RetryPolicy class
Explanation: The RetryPolicy in Azure SDK ensures transient failures are automatically retried.

10. What is the recommended way to store secrets like connection strings in Azure?

A. App Settings
B. Plain text files
C. Azure Key Vault
D. Environment variables

Answer: C. Azure Key Vault
Explanation: Key Vault securely stores secrets, keys, and certificates used by applications.

11. How can you ensure zero downtime during a deployment in Azure App Service?

A. Manual swap
B. Slot swapping
C. FTP deployment
D. Reboot instance

Answer: B. Slot swapping
Explanation: Deployment slots allow testing in a staging slot before swapping to production with no downtime.

12. Which Azure Storage service supports lifecycle management for data archiving?

A. Table Storage
B. Blob Storage
C. Queue Storage
D. Disk Storage

Answer: B. Blob Storage
Explanation: Blob Storage supports lifecycle management rules to transition blobs between access tiers or delete them.

13. What is the primary advantage of using Cosmos DB with the SQL API?

A. Supports relational joins
B. Offers global distribution and low latency
C. Uses PostgreSQL
D. Automatically scales App Services

Answer: B. Offers global distribution and low latency
Explanation: Cosmos DB provides global distribution, high availability, and multiple consistency levels.

14. Which trigger type is best for a function that needs to process messages from a queue?

A. Event Hub trigger
B. Timer trigger
C. Queue trigger
D. HTTP trigger

Answer: C. Queue trigger
Explanation: A queue trigger executes when a new message is added to a queue.

15. What does a connection string in Azure typically contain?

A. Only username
B. Database name
C. Endpoint and access keys
D. IP address

Answer: C. Endpoint and access keys
Explanation: Connection strings include endpoints and keys necessary to connect to services securely.

16. How is scaling handled in Azure Functions Consumption Plan?

A. Manual
B. Based on subscription size
C. Automatically
D. Via portal only

Answer: C. Automatically
Explanation: Azure Functions on the Consumption Plan scale automatically based on load.

17. Which tool is best for defining Azure infrastructure as code?

A. PowerShell
B. ARM templates
C. Azure CLI
D. REST API

Answer: B. ARM templates
Explanation: ARM templates define infrastructure declaratively and support repeatable deployments.

18. What should you configure to restrict access to an Azure Web App from specific IP ranges?

A. CORS policy
B. Access Control (IAM)
C. Authentication
D. IP Restrictions

Answer: D. IP Restrictions
Explanation: IP Restrictions block or allow access to the app based on IP address rules.

19. What mechanism helps Azure Functions maintain state across multiple executions?

A. Static variables
B. Durable Functions
C. Local memory
D. Application Insights

Answer: B. Durable Functions
Explanation: Durable Functions enable stateful workflows and checkpoints across function executions.

20. Which SDK would you use to connect to Azure Cosmos DB using .NET?

A. Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos
B. Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs
C. Azure.Storage.Blobs
D. System.Data.SqlClient

Answer: A. Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos
Explanation: The official .NET SDK for Cosmos DB is Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.

21. What Azure service enables real-time processing of telemetry and streaming data?

A. Azure Event Grid
B. Azure Logic Apps
C. Azure Stream Analytics
D. Azure Functions

Answer: C. Azure Stream Analytics
Explanation: Stream Analytics enables real-time analysis and processing of streaming data.

22. Which feature in Cosmos DB allows fast access to data using properties other than the ID?

A. Sharding
B. Secondary Indexes
C. Partition Key
D. TTL

Answer: B. Secondary Indexes
Explanation: Cosmos DB automatically indexes all properties, enabling fast queries without specifying indexes.

23. How do you secure HTTP-triggered Azure Functions from public access?

A. Use anonymous access
B. Configure function access level
C. Enable Always On
D. Deploy to App Service Environment

Answer: B. Configure function access level
Explanation: You can configure access levels (Function, Admin, or Anonymous) for each HTTP-triggered function.

24. What is the recommended way to handle transient faults in cloud-based applications?

A. Ignore them
B. Retry with exponential backoff
C. Restart application
D. Use longer timeouts

Answer: B. Retry with exponential backoff
Explanation: Exponential backoff helps reduce the chance of repeated failure when retrying operations.

25. What service helps you implement user authentication in a web application?

A. Azure AD B2C
B. Azure Container Instances
C. Azure Key Vault
D. Azure Batch

Answer: A. Azure AD B2C
Explanation: Azure AD B2C supports identity management and authentication for consumer-facing apps.

26. How can developers monitor function execution and failures?

A. Azure Cost Management
B. Azure Monitor + Application Insights
C. Azure Backup
D. Azure Traffic Manager

Answer: B. Azure Monitor + Application Insights
Explanation: These services provide telemetry data, logs, and performance monitoring.

27. What should you use to handle long-running tasks in an Azure Function app?

A. HTTP trigger
B. Timer trigger
C. Durable Functions
D. Static class

Answer: C. Durable Functions
Explanation: Durable Functions allow chaining and fan-out/fan-in patterns for long-running tasks.

28. Which storage tier in Blob Storage is best for infrequently accessed data?

A. Premium
B. Hot
C. Cool
D. Transactional

Answer: C. Cool
Explanation: Cool tier is optimized for infrequently accessed data and reduces storage cost.

29. How can you implement secure configuration in Azure App Service?

A. Store settings in appsettings.json
B. Use Azure DevOps
C. Use Azure Key Vault references in App Settings
D. Store secrets in GitHub

Answer: C. Use Azure Key Vault references in App Settings
Explanation: This allows secure retrieval of secrets directly in your app without hardcoding them.

30. What Azure component is best for managing application secrets and keys?

A. Azure App Configuration
B. Azure Monitor
C. Azure Key Vault
D. Azure Pipelines

Answer: C. Azure Key Vault
Explanation: Key Vault is purpose-built for managing secrets, keys, and certificates securely.