Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-301) Practice Exam

Which hosting solution would best minimize maintenance overhead and costs for a .NET web service named Service1?

1. An Azure web app

2. Azure function

3. An App service Environment

4. An Azure virtual machine scale set

The correct answer is: Azure function

Choosing Azure Functions for hosting Service1 is a strategically sound decision when aiming to minimize maintenance overhead and costs. Azure Functions is a serverless compute service that enables users to run code in response to events without the need to provision or manage servers. This approach means that scaling, patching, and server management are largely abstracted away from the user, thus significantly reducing maintenance efforts. Additionally, since Azure Functions operates on a consumption-based pricing model, you only pay for the compute resources consumed while your function is running. This can lead to cost savings compared to other hosting solutions, especially for workloads with variable or unpredictable traffic patterns. This serverless architecture allows developers to focus on writing and deploying code without having to worry about the infrastructure beneath it. This not only streamlines development processes but also enhances productivity, as there’s less time spent managing server instances. In contrast, other options like Azure Web Apps or App Service Environments still require some level of initial setup and ongoing management, such as configuration, scaling, and maintaining the underlying platform infrastructure. Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets demand even more attention with regard to maintaining virtual machines, load balancers, and networking components. Therefore, Azure Functions stands out as the most efficient choice for minimizing both maintenance overhead and operational costs