Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-301) Practice Exam 2026 - Free Azure Architect Practice Questions and Study Guide

To access archive files stored in Azure Blob, modifying the access tier is necessary because the archive tier is specifically designed for data that is rarely accessed and has a lower storage cost. However, when you need to access the data, you must change the access tier from archive to either hot or cool. This transition allows for quicker access to the stored files, as the archive tier optimizes for cost over speed.

When you adjust the access tier, Azure takes the necessary backend steps to ensure the files can be accessed. This process can take several hours, depending on the volume of data and the current state of the archive.

The other options do not facilitate the access of archive files effectively. Generating a snapshot creates a point-in-time version of the blob, which does not impact access permissions. Changing the blob type refers to altering the blob type itself (block, append, or page) and does not directly correlate with accessing data stored in the archive tier. Uploading new versions pertains to versioning of the blob, but again does not equate to accessing data that is categorized in the archive tier. Thus, modifying the access tier is the essential action to take for accessing archive files stored in Azure Blob.