Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ104) Practice Exam

What should you do first after deleting a virtual machine that is protected by Azure Backup?

1. Modify the backup policy.

2. Delete the Recovery Services vault.

3. Stop the backup.

4. Delete the storage account.

The correct answer is: Stop the backup.

When a virtual machine is deleted in Azure that is protected by Azure Backup, the first step is to stop the backup for that virtual machine. This action ensures that the backup cycle is terminated for the deleted VM, preventing any further attempts to create backups and managing the recovery points associated with that VM. By stopping the backup, you can effectively clean up and ensure that resources are no longer allocated or reserved for a non-existent VM. Stopping the backup is particularly important because it allows you to manage your backup resources more efficiently and avoid incurring unnecessary charges for backup services tied to the now-deleted VM. Additionally, it prepares the environment for actions such as modifying the backup policy or deleting the Recovery Services vault, if those actions become necessary. Taking this step is part of good practice in Azure Backup management to maintain organizational efficiency and proper resource allocation.