Hotspot Question You have an Azure subscription that contains a virtual machine named VM1 and an Azure Blob Storage account named account1. Account1 contains a container named blob1. VM1 hosts an…

To minimize costs and use native Azure services, use a Recovery Services vault for the virtual machine (VM1) and a Backup vault for the Azure Blob Storage (blob1).

Submitted by manish99· Mar 4, 2026Monitor and back up Azure resources

Question

Hotspot Question You have an Azure subscription that contains a virtual machine named VM1 and an Azure Blob Storage account named account1. Account1 contains a container named blob1. VM1 hosts an app that accesses blob1. You need to recommend a backup solution for VM1 and blob1. The solution must minimize costs. What should you include in the recommendation? To answer, select the appropriate options in the answer area. NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point. Answer:

Exhibit

Answer Area

For VM1:
An Azure Backup vaultMicrosoft System Center Data Protection Man-ager (DPM)A Recovery Services vault
For blob1:
An Azure Backup vaultMicrosoft System Center Data Protection Man-ager (DPM)A Recovery Services vault

Explanation

To minimize costs and use native Azure services, use a Recovery Services vault for the virtual machine (VM1) and a Backup vault for the Azure Blob Storage (blob1).

Approach. 1. For VM1: Select 'A Recovery Services vault'. A Recovery Services vault is the native, fully managed Azure service designed specifically for backing up older foundational workloads like Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Files, and SQL/SAP HANA running in Azure VMs. Because it is a PaaS offering, it minimizes costs by eliminating the need to deploy and manage backup server infrastructure.

For blob1: Select 'An Azure Backup vault'. Microsoft introduced Azure Backup vaults to handle backups for newer Azure workloads. Azure Blob Storage (both operational and vaulted backups), Azure Managed Disks, and Azure Database for PostgreSQL natively use a Backup vault, not a Recovery Services vault.

Common mistakes.

common_mistake. The second image highlights Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) for VM1, which is a common exam dump error. While DPM can theoretically back up VMs, it is an on-premises or IaaS-based enterprise solution. Using DPM would require deploying a dedicated Windows Server VM, purchasing licensing, and managing storage disks. This would drastically increase overhead and violate the explicit requirement to 'minimize costs'. Additionally, selecting a Backup vault for VM1 or a Recovery Services vault for blob1 would be incorrect, as those specific vault types do not support those respective workloads.

Concept tested. Azure Backup architecture, vault types (Recovery Services vaults vs. Backup vaults), and cost optimization.

Reference. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-overview#which-vault-do-i-use

Topics

#Azure VM backup#Azure Blob backup#Cost optimization

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