AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
A team wants one Azure Files share to be used by both Windows and Linux virtual machines. Which two mounting approaches are valid? Select two.
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume Azure Files requires a VPN or ExpressRoute for secure mounting, but Azure Files SMB 3.0 with encryption works securely over the public internet, making options like D unnecessary.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Map the share on Windows by using the built-in SMB client.
Windows includes a built-in SMB client that can directly map an Azure Files share using its UNC path (e.g., \\storageaccount.file.core.windows.net\sharename). This leverages the SMB 3.0 protocol, which Azure Files supports over the public internet with encryption, requiring no additional gateway or VPN.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Map the share on Windows by using the built-in SMB client.
Why this is correct
Windows has native SMB client support. To connect, you use the storage account key or shared access signature to authenticate, and map a drive letter to the UNC path like \\storageaccount.file.core.windows.net\sharename. This is the standard method for Windows VMs and on-premises Windows machines to access Azure Files, and it appears as a normal drive to applications.
- ✓
Mount the share on Linux by using an SMB/CIFS client such as mount.cifs.
Why this is correct
Linux distributions access Azure Files via SMB protocol using cifs-utils package. The command like `sudo mount -t cifs //storageaccount.file.core.windows.net/share /mnt/myshare -o username=storageaccount,password=acckey,dir_mode=0777,file_mode=0777` mounts the share. This enables Linux servers to share the same file share with Windows clients.
- ✗
Mount the share on Linux by using the Azure Blob service endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files and Azure Blob storage are separate services with different endpoints (`file.core.windows.net` vs `blob.core.windows.net`) and different protocols. The Blob endpoint serves REST API and SDK operations (e.g., Block Blobs), not file system mounting. Mounting a Blob container is not possible with standard OS filesystem tools; you would need third-party tools or access via Data Lake Gen2 which still does not expose SMB natively.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked about accessing data in Azure Blob Storage from Linux, mounting via Blob service endpoint (e.g., using blobfuse) would be correct. For example: 'A team needs to mount an Azure Blob Storage container on a Linux VM.'
- ✗
Use an Azure VPN gateway to make the file share mount possible.
Why it's wrong here
An Azure VPN gateway is used for connecting on-premises networks to Azure VNet or VNet-to-VNet connectivity. Azure Files mounts are performed directly over the SMB protocol (port 445) using either the public endpoint or a private endpoint, and a VPN is not a prerequisite for that direct mount. A VPN might be used to work around blocked port 445 or for network isolation, but it does not enable the mount itself; the client still mounts the share directly.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where an on-premises network needs to access an Azure Files share securely over the internet, an Azure VPN gateway would be the correct answer to establish a secure connection for mounting the share.
- ✗
Use an Azure load balancer to present the share to both VMs.
Why it's wrong here
A load balancer distributes network traffic at Layers 4 or 3 to virtual machines; it does not provide storage services. Azure Files is a Platform-as-a-Service storage offering with its own fully qualified domain name and SMB endpoints, so it cannot be fronted by a load balancer to appear as a mountable share. Virtual machines connect directly to the storage account's file share endpoint, making a load balancer irrelevant to the mounting process.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where you need to distribute incoming client traffic across multiple virtual machines hosting a file server application (e.g., a custom file sharing service), an Azure load balancer would be the correct choice to ensure high availability and load distribution.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Map the share on Windows by using the built-in SMB client.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Windows has native SMB client support. To connect, you use the storage account key or shared access signature to authenticate, and map a drive letter to the UNC path like \\storageaccount.file.core.windows.net\sharename. This is the standard method for Windows VMs and on-premises Windows machines to access Azure Files, and it appears as a normal drive to applications.
✗Mount the share on Linux by using the Azure Blob service endpoint.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Files uses SMB protocol, not Blob service endpoints. Mounting via Blob service endpoint would attempt to use HTTPS/REST, which is incompatible with Azure Files' SMB-based mounting.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked about accessing data in Azure Blob Storage from Linux, mounting via Blob service endpoint (e.g., using blobfuse) would be correct. For example: 'A team needs to mount an Azure Blob Storage container on a Linux VM.'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Files with Azure Blob Storage, thinking both can be mounted via similar endpoints, or they may assume that any Azure storage can be mounted using a service endpoint.
✗Use an Azure VPN gateway to make the file share mount possible.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An Azure VPN gateway is used for site-to-site or point-to-site connectivity between on-premises networks and Azure, not for mounting an Azure Files share. Azure Files supports direct mounting over SMB without requiring a VPN.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where an on-premises network needs to access an Azure Files share securely over the internet, an Azure VPN gateway would be the correct answer to establish a secure connection for mounting the share.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a VPN is necessary for secure access to Azure Files, or they may confuse the need for network connectivity with the mounting process itself.
✗Use an Azure load balancer to present the share to both VMs.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An Azure load balancer distributes network traffic across multiple VMs but does not provide file-level access or mount capabilities for Azure Files shares. It cannot present a file share to VMs as a mountable endpoint.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where you need to distribute incoming client traffic across multiple virtual machines hosting a file server application (e.g., a custom file sharing service), an Azure load balancer would be the correct choice to ensure high availability and load distribution.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse load balancing with providing access to a shared resource, thinking that a load balancer can act as a front-end to make the file share available to multiple VMs, similar to how it works for web applications.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute
Key term
VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, protecting your data and hiding your online activity.
Key term
Azure Files
Azure Files is a cloud-based file sharing service that lets you create and access file shares using the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol or Network File System (NFS) protocol, just like you would access files on a local network drive.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A Windows VM and a Linux VM in Azure must use the same shared working folder for application files. The team does not want to run a separate file server, and both VMs must be able to mount the share by using native operating system tools. What should the administrator deploy?
medium- A.An Azure Blob container mounted as a local NTFS volume on both VMs
- ✓ B.An Azure Files share mounted from Windows by using SMB and from Linux by using SMB or the Azure Files mount command
- C.A managed disk attached to both VMs in read-write mode
- D.An Azure Queue storage account with application-level file synchronization
Why B: Azure Files provides fully managed SMB (Server Message Block) file shares that can be mounted natively from both Windows (using SMB) and Linux (using SMB or the dedicated Azure Files mount command). This meets the requirement of a shared working folder without needing a separate file server, and both operating systems can use their native tools to access the share.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.