AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
A Windows VM and a Linux VM in Azure need to use the same shared folder for application artifacts. The team wants a managed file service instead of running a separate file server VM, and both operating systems must be able to mount the share using a standard protocol. Which solution should the administrator implement?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume Azure Files supports both SMB and NFS on the same share, but in reality each share is protocol-specific, and mixing protocols is not allowed, making Option D a common distractor.
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
✓
Create an Azure Files share and mount it over SMB from both virtual machines.
Azure Files provides a fully managed file share that supports both SMB and NFS protocols. Since the question requires a managed file service accessible by both Windows and Linux VMs using a standard protocol, the correct solution is to create an Azure Files share and mount it over SMB from both VMs. Windows natively supports SMB, and Linux can mount SMB shares using the CIFS-utils package, meeting the requirement without running a separate file server VM.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a blob container and mount it as a file system from both virtual machines.
Why it's wrong here
Blob containers are object storage, not a shared file system in the same sense as a file share. They do not provide the typical mounting experience expected for Windows and Linux workloads in this scenario. This option does not meet the requirement for a standard shared folder.
When this WOULD be correct
If the requirement was to store large amounts of unstructured data (e.g., logs, backups) accessible from multiple VMs via REST API, and a managed file service was not needed, then mounting a blob container (using BlobFuse or similar) could be appropriate.
- ✓
Create an Azure Files share and mount it over SMB from both virtual machines.
Why this is correct
Azure Files is the managed file service designed for shared file access. SMB is supported by Windows natively and can also be mounted from Linux using standard tools. This gives both VMs access to the same share without introducing a separate file server VM, which fits the requirement precisely.
- ✗
Use an Azure managed disk and attach it to both virtual machines.
Why it's wrong here
A managed disk is not intended as a general shared file service for multiple VMs in this way. It is normally attached to one VM, and sharing it does not provide the same simple multi-platform file access model as Azure Files. This would create management and availability problems.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to attach a high-performance, durable data disk to a single VM for database storage, where shared access is not required and maximum I/O performance is critical.
- ✗
Create an Azure Files share and force the Linux VM to use NFS while the Windows VM uses SMB.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files shares are provisioned as either SMB or NFS, not both simultaneously. This option fails because a single Azure Files share cannot be accessed concurrently by a Windows VM using SMB and a Linux VM using NFS, preventing both VMs from using the *same* shared folder. It is tempting because Azure Files *does* offer managed shares for both SMB and NFS clients, making it a suitable choice when different shares are needed for each protocol, or when only one protocol type is required for a specific share.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question specified that the Linux VM requires NFS protocol (e.g., for performance or compatibility reasons) and the Windows VM is not involved, or if separate shares were allowed, then creating an Azure Files share with NFS for Linux would be correct.
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.
✓Create an Azure Files share and mount it over SMB from both virtual machines.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Azure Files is the managed file service designed for shared file access. SMB is supported by Windows natively and can also be mounted from Linux using standard tools. This gives both VMs access to the same share without introducing a separate file server VM, which fits the requirement precisely.
✗Create a blob container and mount it as a file system from both virtual machines.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure blob containers cannot be mounted as a file system using standard protocols like SMB or NFS; they are object storage accessed via HTTP/HTTPS, not a shared file system for concurrent VM access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the requirement was to store large amounts of unstructured data (e.g., logs, backups) accessible from multiple VMs via REST API, and a managed file service was not needed, then mounting a blob container (using BlobFuse or similar) could be appropriate.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think blob storage can be mounted like a file share because of tools like BlobFuse, but they overlook that it's not a native file system protocol and does not support concurrent read/write locking required for shared folders.
✗Use an Azure managed disk and attach it to both virtual machines.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure managed disks cannot be attached to multiple VMs simultaneously; they support single-VM attachment only, so both VMs cannot access the same shared folder concurrently.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to attach a high-performance, durable data disk to a single VM for database storage, where shared access is not required and maximum I/O performance is critical.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse managed disks with shared disks (which do support multi-attach but are limited to specific scenarios) or assume that any disk can be shared like a network file share.
✗Create an Azure Files share and force the Linux VM to use NFS while the Windows VM uses SMB.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Files supports both SMB and NFS protocols, but a single share can only use one protocol. Forcing the Linux VM to use NFS while Windows uses SMB on the same share is not supported; both VMs must use the same protocol (SMB) for cross-platform access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question specified that the Linux VM requires NFS protocol (e.g., for performance or compatibility reasons) and the Windows VM is not involved, or if separate shares were allowed, then creating an Azure Files share with NFS for Linux would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may know that Azure Files supports both SMB and NFS, and incorrectly assume they can mix protocols on the same share to accommodate different OS requirements, overlooking that a share is protocol-specific.
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?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Managed Identities for Azure Resources
Key term
File share
A file share is a centralized storage location on a network where multiple users can access, read, write, and manage files simultaneously.
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.
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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.