Bicep as ARM simplification in Azure - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding Bicep Resource Declaration

Which of the following Bicep resource declarations correctly creates an Azure Storage Account with the name 'mystorageacct' in the 'eastus' region?

A

resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2022-09-01' = {
  name: 'mystorageacct'
  location: 'eastus'
  sku: {
    name: 'Standard_LRS'
  }
}

B

resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2022-09-01' = {
  name: 'mystorageacct'
  location: 'westus'
  kind: 'StorageV2'
  sku: {
    name: 'Standard_LRS'
  }
}

C

resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2022-09-01' = {
  name: 'mystorageacct'
  location: 'eastus'
  kind: 'StorageV2'
  sku: {
    name: 'Standard_LRS'
  }
}

D

resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2022-09-01' = {
  name: 'mystorageacct'
  location: 'eastus'
  kind: 'BlobStorage'
  sku: {
    name: 'Standard_LRS'
  }
}

💡 Hint

Remember that the location must be 'eastus' and the kind should be 'StorageV2' for a general-purpose storage account.

Option C correctly declares a Storage Account resource with the required properties: name, location 'eastus', kind 'StorageV2', and sku 'Standard_LRS'. Option C uses the wrong location 'westus'. Option C is missing the 'kind' property which is required. Option C uses 'BlobStorage' kind which is a different SKU type.

❓ Configuration

intermediate

Bicep Module Parameter Passing

Given a Bicep module that requires a parameter 'vmName' of type string, which option correctly passes the value 'myVM01' to this module?

Azure

module vmModule './vm.bicep' = {
  name: 'deployVM'
  params: {
    vmName: 'myVM01'
  }
}

A

module vmModule './vm.bicep' = {
  name: 'deployVM'
  params: {
    vmName: 'myVM01'
  }
}

B

module vmModule './vm.bicep' = {
  name: 'deployVM'
  vmName: 'myVM01'
}

C

module vmModule './vm.bicep' = {
  name: 'deployVM'
  parameters: {
    vmName: 'myVM01'
  }
}

D

module vmModule './vm.bicep' = {
  name: 'deployVM'
  args: {
    vmName: 'myVM01'
  }
}

💡 Hint

Check the correct keyword for passing parameters to a module in Bicep.

Option A uses the correct 'params' keyword to pass parameters to the module. Options B, C, and D use incorrect keywords ('vmName' directly, 'parameters', or 'args') which are invalid in Bicep module syntax.

❓ Architecture

advanced

Bicep Deployment Scope Selection

You want to deploy a Bicep template that creates a resource group and resources inside it in a single deployment. Which deployment scope should you use in your Bicep file to achieve this?

A Use 'targetScope = 'managementGroup'' to deploy the resource group and nested resources.

B Use 'targetScope = 'subscription'' to deploy the resource group and nested resources.

C Use 'targetScope = 'resourceGroup'' to deploy the resource group and nested resources.

D Use 'targetScope = 'tenant'' to deploy the resource group and nested resources.

💡 Hint

Creating a resource group requires subscription-level deployment scope.

To create a resource group and resources inside it in one deployment, the Bicep file must have 'targetScope = 'subscription'' because resource groups are subscription-level resources. 'resourceGroup' scope cannot create resource groups, only deploy inside existing ones.

❓ security

advanced

Secure Parameter Handling in Bicep

Which Bicep parameter declaration ensures that a sensitive value like an admin password is not logged or exposed during deployment?

A param adminPassword securestring

B param adminPassword string = 'P@ssw0rd!'

C param adminPassword string { secure: true }

D param adminPassword string

💡 Hint

Bicep has a special type for sensitive parameters.

Option A uses the 'securestring' type which marks the parameter as sensitive, preventing it from being logged or exposed. Option A is invalid syntax. Options B and D declare a normal string parameter which is not secure.

❓ service_behavior

expert

Bicep Output Behavior After Deployment

After deploying a Bicep template that outputs a storage account's primary endpoint URL, what will be the value of the output if the deployment fails halfway and the storage account resource was not created?

Azure

output storageEndpoint string = storageAccount.properties.primaryEndpoints.blob

A The output will be null because the resource was not created.

B The output will be an empty string.

C The output will contain the endpoint URL from the previous deployment.

D The deployment will fail and no outputs will be returned.

💡 Hint

Consider what happens to outputs when deployment fails.

If the deployment fails, no outputs are returned because the deployment did not complete successfully. Therefore, option D is correct. Outputs depend on successful resource creation.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of Bicep in Azure infrastructure management?

easy

A. To monitor Azure resources in real-time

B. To replace Azure CLI commands

C. To create virtual machines automatically

D. To simplify writing and managing Azure resource templates

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Bicep's role

   Bicep is designed to simplify the process of writing infrastructure as code for Azure by providing a cleaner syntax than raw ARM templates.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Options A, B, and C describe other Azure tools or features, not Bicep's main purpose.

3. Final Answer:

   To simplify writing and managing Azure resource templates -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Bicep simplifies Azure templates = D [OK]

Hint: Bicep makes Azure templates easier to write and read [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Bicep with Azure CLI
• Thinking Bicep creates resources automatically
• Assuming Bicep monitors resources

2. Which of the following is the correct way to declare a string parameter named location in a Bicep file?

easy

A. param location string

B. parameter location = 'string'

C. var location string

D. resource location string

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Bicep parameter syntax

   In Bicep, parameters are declared using the keyword param followed by the name and type, e.g., param location string.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

   parameter location = 'string' uses incorrect syntax; var location string uses var which is for variables, not parameters; resource location string uses resource which is for resources.

3. Final Answer:

   param location string -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Parameter declaration = param name type [OK]

Hint: Use 'param' keyword for parameters in Bicep [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'var' instead of 'param' for parameters
• Confusing resource declaration with parameter
• Incorrect assignment syntax for parameters

3. Given this Bicep snippet:

param storageAccountName string = 'mystorage'
resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = {
  name: storageAccountName
  location: 'eastus'
  kind: 'StorageV2'
  sku: {
    name: 'Standard_LRS'
  }
}

What will be the name of the deployed storage account?

medium

A. mystorage

B. storageAccountName

C. Standard_LRS

D. eastus

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the parameter value

   The parameter storageAccountName is set to the string 'mystorage'.

2. Step 2: Check resource name assignment

   The resource's name property uses the parameter storageAccountName, so the deployed storage account will be named 'mystorage'.

3. Final Answer:

   mystorage -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Resource name = parameter value 'mystorage' [OK]

Hint: Resource name uses parameter value directly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing parameter name with its value
• Choosing SKU or location as name
• Assuming default resource name

4. You wrote this Bicep code:

param location string
var location = 'westus'
resource vm 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines@2022-03-01' = {
  name: 'myVM'
  location: location
}

What is the error in this code?

medium

A. Missing SKU property in the resource

B. Resource name must be a parameter, not a string

C. Variable and parameter have the same name causing conflict

D. Location property cannot be a variable

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify naming conflict

   Both a parameter and a variable are named location, which causes a conflict in Bicep because names must be unique in the same scope.

2. Step 2: Check other options

   Resource name can be a string literal; SKU is not mandatory for all resources; location can be a variable if no conflict exists.

3. Final Answer:

   Variable and parameter have the same name causing conflict -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Duplicate names cause errors in Bicep [OK]

Hint: Avoid using same name for param and var [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking resource name must be a parameter
• Assuming SKU is always required
• Believing location cannot be variable

5. You want to deploy two storage accounts in different locations using Bicep. Which approach correctly uses a loop to create these resources?

hard

A. param locations string = 'eastus,westus'
resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = {
name: 'storage'
location: locations
kind: 'StorageV2'
sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' }
}

B. var locations = ['eastus', 'westus']
resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = [for loc in locations: {
name: 'storage${loc}'
location: loc
kind: 'StorageV2'
sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' }
}]

C. var locations = ['eastus', 'westus']
resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = {
name: 'storage'
location: locations
kind: 'StorageV2'
sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' }
}

D. param locations array = ['eastus', 'westus']
resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = for loc in locations {
name: 'storage'
location: loc
kind: 'StorageV2'
sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' }
}

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Bicep loop syntax

   Bicep uses array loops with the syntax [for item in array: { ... }] to create multiple resources.

2. Step 2: Analyze each option

   var locations = ['eastus', 'westus'] resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = [for loc in locations: { name: 'storage${loc}' location: loc kind: 'StorageV2' sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' } }] correctly uses a variable array and a loop to create multiple storage accounts with unique names and locations. Options B and C misuse the location property by assigning an array directly. param locations array = ['eastus', 'westus'] resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = for loc in locations { name: 'storage' location: loc kind: 'StorageV2' sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' } } has incorrect loop syntax missing square brackets.

3. Final Answer:

   var locations = ['eastus', 'westus'] resource storageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = [for loc in locations: { name: 'storage${loc}' location: loc kind: 'StorageV2' sku: { name: 'Standard_LRS' } }] -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Bicep loops use [for item in array: {...}] [OK]

Hint: Use [for item in array: {...}] for resource loops [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assigning array directly to location property
• Incorrect loop syntax without brackets
• Using string instead of array for multiple locations