Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ104) Practice Exam

What is the best action to take if Azure web apps are responding slowly due to resource constraints?

1. Scale out the App Service plan

2. Add more CPU resources

3. Scale up the App Service plan

4. Increase instance count

The correct answer is: Scale up the App Service plan

Scaling up the App Service plan is often the most effective action when Azure web apps are responding slowly due to resource constraints. This process involves moving your app to a higher pricing tier, which typically provides more CPU, memory, and storage resources. By scaling up, you can address performance issues directly related to the resource limits of your current plan, as a higher tier usually has increased capacity for handling traffic and processing requests. Moreover, scaling up allows the application to take advantage of additional features and capabilities that may not be available in lower tiers, such as better traffic management and enhanced scaling features. This method can lead to immediate improvements in application performance, especially if the current app service plan is not meeting the application's demands. On the other hand, while scaling out an app service plan or increasing the instance count might help distribute the load and enhance availability, they typically address different challenges, such as handling increased traffic rather than providing more resources per instance. Adding more CPU resources specifically is rarely an option in Azure App Services, as the service operates on a tiered resource basis.