AZ-104 Compute and Storage Guide: VMs, App Services, Containers and Storage

Direct Answer

AZ-104 compute and storage preparation should focus on service selection and administration. The compute domain includes ARM templates or Bicep, virtual machines, disks, availability options, scale sets, containers and App Service. The storage domain includes access controls, storage accounts, redundancy, Azure Files, Blob Storage, tiers, soft delete, snapshots, lifecycle management and versioning.

These areas are often tested through practical scenarios: deploy the right compute resource, configure scaling or availability, secure storage access, choose a redundancy option, protect data or move files efficiently.

What to Know First

Use these quick points to frame your preparation before you start detailed practice.

Virtual Machines, Disks and Availability

For VMs, practise creation, sizing, disks, encryption at host, movement across resource groups or subscriptions and availability design. The study guide includes availability zones, availability sets and virtual machine scale sets.

Do not treat availability as a generic word. A question may require zone-level resilience, scale-out capacity or simple protection from host maintenance. Each requirement points to a different design choice.

ARM, Bicep, Containers and App Service

The study guide includes interpreting, modifying and deploying ARM templates or Bicep files. You should be able to understand a template enough to identify what it deploys and how to change it safely.

For containers, know Azure Container Registry, Azure Container Instances and Azure Container Apps at an administrator level. For App Service, focus on plans, scaling, certificates, TLS, custom DNS, backup, networking settings and deployment slots.

Storage Access, Redundancy and Data Protection

Storage preparation should include firewalls, virtual networks, SAS tokens, stored access policies, access keys, identity-based access for Azure Files, redundancy, object replication, encryption, Storage Explorer and AzCopy.

For Blob Storage and Azure Files, practise containers, file shares, tiers, soft delete, snapshots, lifecycle management and blob versioning. Many exam scenarios ask how to protect or move data rather than simply define storage.

Compute and Storage Decision Table

Original Compute and Storage Scenario

A team needs to deploy a web app with staging validation, custom domain support and simple rollback. A strong answer considers App Service, deployment slots, TLS certificate configuration and DNS mapping rather than defaulting to a virtual machine.

In another scenario, a storage account must restrict public access while supporting controlled temporary access to a container. A strong answer compares firewall rules, SAS tokens, stored access policies and identity-based access.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

How to Compare Compute Options

When a question describes an application workload, ask whether it needs full OS control, platform-managed hosting, container execution or repeatable infrastructure deployment. VMs give more control but more administration. App Service simplifies web hosting. Containers fit packaged workloads. ARM and Bicep help repeat deployments.

AZ-104 does not require you to design every advanced architecture, but it does expect service-selection judgement at the administrator level.

How to Compare Storage Access Options

Storage questions often turn on access method. Access keys are broad and powerful. SAS tokens can delegate limited access. Stored access policies can help manage SAS behaviour. Identity-based access is important for Azure Files scenarios. Firewalls and virtual network rules restrict network paths.

Practise by matching each access method to a requirement. Temporary delegated access, application access, administrator access and network restriction are not the same problem.

Compute and Storage Practice Checklist

For compute, practise VM creation, disks, sizes, availability, scale sets, containers, App Service plans, custom DNS, TLS, backup, networking settings and deployment slots. For storage, practise redundancy, encryption, object replication, Storage Explorer, AzCopy, file shares, containers, tiers, soft delete, snapshots, lifecycle management and versioning.

Review each topic through a scenario. Ask what must be deployed, what must be protected, who needs access, what should scale and what must be recoverable.

How to Use This Guide With AZ-104 Practice

Read the guide once for orientation, then turn it into active practice. Create a short list of decisions you should be able to make after studying this topic. For AZ-104 compute and storage, that means more than recognising terms. You should be able to read a scenario, identify the real requirement, choose the Azure control that fits, and explain why the nearby alternatives are weaker.

After each practice set, review missed questions in three layers. First, identify the domain: identity, governance, storage, compute, networking, monitoring or recovery. Second, identify the mistake type: knowledge gap, wrong scope, missed constraint, timing pressure or distractor confusion. Third, write one repair action that you can complete before the next session.

This is the difference between passive reading and exam preparation. Passive reading makes the topic feel familiar. Active practice makes the topic usable when a new question changes the wording, combines domains or hides the deciding detail near the end of the prompt.

How This Topic Connects to the Rest of AZ-104

No AZ-104 domain lives alone. A compute question may include networking constraints, identity permissions, storage access and monitoring requirements. A governance question may include cost control, management-group scope and resource locks. A storage question may depend on private endpoints, firewall rules, lifecycle management and backup expectations.

When reviewing AZ-104 Compute and Storage Guide: VMs, App Services, Containers and Storage, deliberately connect it to at least two other domains. Ask how the topic changes when security, cost, availability, deployment or recovery becomes the priority. This cross-domain thinking is what makes practice more realistic and prevents the exam from feeling like a set of disconnected trivia questions.

Turn This Guide Into Practice

Use realistic AZ-104 practice to turn knowledge into administrator decisions: read the scenario, identify the scope, choose the right Azure control and review every explanation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are VMs still important for AZ-104?

Yes. The study guide includes VM creation, sizing, disks, movement and availability options.

Do I need to know Bicep?

Yes. The guide includes ARM templates or Bicep files, including interpreting, modifying and deploying them.

What storage topics should I prioritise?

Access controls, redundancy, Blob Storage, Azure Files, soft delete, lifecycle management and versioning.

Are containers in scope?

Yes. Azure Container Registry, Azure Container Instances and Azure Container Apps are listed.

How should I study compute and storage together?

Use scenarios that combine deployment, access, protection, scaling and recovery decisions.

Keep Building AZ-104 Readiness

Review the current Microsoft Learn study guide, practise with original scenarios, and use timed mixed sets when you are close to exam day.

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Provider disclaimer: Heycademy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft. This page uses publicly available Microsoft Learn information for preparation guidance and original practice examples only.