Microsoft AZ-401: Designing and Implementing Microsoft Agentic DevOps Solutions (beta)

Last checked October 22, 2026 against the official Microsoft exam page.

1. Question 1Design and implement build and release pipelines

   In an Azure Pipelines YAML file, which key starts a run automatically when commits reach the main branch?

   1. Apool
   2. Bschedules
   3. Ctrigger
   4. Dresources
   Show answer and explanationHide answer

   Correct answer: C

   The trigger key defines which branch pushes start the pipeline automatically. schedules runs on a timer, resources declare external dependencies such as repositories or pipelines, and pool selects the agent pool.

2. Question 2Design and implement a source control strategy

   A repository must route pull requests that touch the /infra folder automatically to the platform team for review. Which file should be used?

   1. Agitignore
   2. Bworkflow env file
   3. Cdependabot.yml
   4. DCODEOWNERS
   Show answer and explanationHide answer

   Correct answer: D

   A CODEOWNERS file maps paths to owners, and GitHub and Azure Repos can request their review on matching pull requests. .gitignore excludes files from tracking, dependabot.yml configures dependency updates, and the workflow env file sets variables.

3. Question 3Design and implement processes and communications

   A team wants commits and pull requests to link automatically to Azure Boards work items. Which convention achieves this?

   1. AInclude AB# followed by the work item number in the commit message or pull request title
   2. BAdd the work item ID to the repository name so the sprint board and cards pick up related changes
   3. CTag the release manually after each sprint review, typing the version label into the Git tags page.
   4. DCreate a service hook that emails the product owner and the scrum master each time a sprint review.
   Show answer and explanationHide answer

   Correct answer: A

   The AB# mention in commit messages and pull request titles creates a link between the code change and the work item. Repository names and manual tags do not create those links, and email hooks only notify people.

4. Question 4Design and implement a security and compliance plan

   Which two actions secure a pipeline's access to Azure resources? (Choose two.)

   1. AShare one personal access token across all projects
   2. BUse workload identity federation instead of stored secrets
   3. CScope the service connection to a specific resource group
   4. DGrant Owner at the root management group to every pipeline
   Show answer and explanationHide answer

   Correct answer: B, C

   Federated credentials avoid stored secrets, and scoping the connection limits what a compromised pipeline can reach. Root-level Owner and shared tokens give far more access than a pipeline needs.

5. Question 5Implement an instrumentation strategy

   A team needs to follow one user request across several microservices to find which call introduced latency. Which Application Insights capability provides this?

   1. ADistributed tracing with end-to-end transaction view
   2. BDaily cost reports grouped by resource group
   3. CStatic code analysis of source files and tests
   4. DBackup retention reports for recovery vaults
   Show answer and explanationHide answer

   Correct answer: A

   Distributed tracing correlates telemetry across services with a shared operation ID, so the end-to-end transaction shows where time was spent. Cost reports, code analysis and backup reports do not trace requests across services.