- A
Enable Azure Files identity-based authentication with Active Directory Domain Services.
Azure Files can use AD DS-based Kerberos authentication for SMB access. This allows the VM to authenticate with existing domain credentials instead of using a storage account key.
- B
Enable blob soft delete and mount the share with a blob container SAS token.
Why wrong: Soft delete protects deleted items, but it does not provide SMB authentication for Azure file shares. A blob SAS token is also not the right credential type for a file share mount.
- C
Enable a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on the subnet.
Why wrong: A service endpoint can improve network access to storage, but it does not replace the authentication method. The question is about using AD DS credentials for the share.
- D
Create a shared access signature for the file share and map it as a local drive.
Why wrong: A SAS token is not the same as SMB-based domain authentication. The requirement explicitly asks for existing AD DS credentials rather than a storage token.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A Windows file server VM in Azure must mount an Azure file share by using existing Active Directory Domain Services credentials instead of a storage account key. The organization already has domain-joined Windows servers in the environment. What should the administrator configure on the storage account?
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
Enable Azure Files identity-based authentication with Active Directory Domain Services.
Option A is correct because Azure Files supports identity-based authentication over SMB using Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). By enabling this on the storage account, the administrator can mount the file share using existing domain credentials instead of a storage account key, provided the client VM is domain-joined and the share is configured with appropriate NTFS permissions. This eliminates the need to manage or expose storage account keys.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enable Azure Files identity-based authentication with Active Directory Domain Services.
- ✗
Enable blob soft delete and mount the share with a blob container SAS token.
Why it's wrong here
Soft delete protects deleted items, but it does not provide SMB authentication for Azure file shares. A blob SAS token is also not the right credential type for a file share mount.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to protect blob data from accidental deletion or overwrite. Enabling blob soft delete allows recovery of deleted blobs within a retention period. Mounting with a SAS token provides delegated access without exposing the account key.
- ✗
Enable a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on the subnet.
Why it's wrong here
A service endpoint can improve network access to storage, but it does not replace the authentication method. The question is about using AD DS credentials for the share.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to ensure that a storage account is only accessible from a specific virtual network subnet to reduce exposure to the internet. The correct answer would be to enable a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on that subnet and configure the storage account firewall to allow access only from that subnet.
- ✗
Create a shared access signature for the file share and map it as a local drive.
Why it's wrong here
A SAS token is not the same as SMB-based domain authentication. The requirement explicitly asks for existing AD DS credentials rather than a storage token.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to grant temporary, time-limited access to a specific Azure file share for a user who does not have AD DS credentials, such as an external contractor. In that case, generating a SAS token and mapping the share as a local drive would be appropriate.
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.
✓Enable Azure Files identity-based authentication with Active Directory Domain Services.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Azure Files can use AD DS-based Kerberos authentication for SMB access. This allows the VM to authenticate with existing domain credentials instead of using a storage account key.
✗Enable blob soft delete and mount the share with a blob container SAS token.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Blob soft delete and SAS tokens are for Azure Blob Storage, not Azure Files. The question requires mounting an Azure file share with AD credentials, not using a storage account key or SAS.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to protect blob data from accidental deletion or overwrite. Enabling blob soft delete allows recovery of deleted blobs within a retention period. Mounting with a SAS token provides delegated access without exposing the account key.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Files with Azure Blobs, or think that SAS tokens can be used for AD-based authentication, not realizing SAS is a shared key mechanism.
✗Enable a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on the subnet.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Enabling a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on the subnet restricts access to the storage account from that subnet but does not enable Active Directory authentication for Azure Files. The question requires identity-based authentication using AD DS credentials, which service endpoints do not provide.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to ensure that a storage account is only accessible from a specific virtual network subnet to reduce exposure to the internet. The correct answer would be to enable a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on that subnet and configure the storage account firewall to allow access only from that subnet.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse network-level access control (service endpoints) with identity-based authentication, thinking that restricting network access is sufficient to meet the requirement of using AD credentials, or they may incorrectly associate service endpoints with Active Directory integration.
✗Create a shared access signature for the file share and map it as a local drive.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Creating a shared access signature (SAS) for the file share and mapping it as a local drive still uses a SAS token for authentication, not Active Directory Domain Services credentials. The question requires using existing AD DS credentials, which SAS does not support.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to grant temporary, time-limited access to a specific Azure file share for a user who does not have AD DS credentials, such as an external contractor. In that case, generating a SAS token and mapping the share as a local drive would be appropriate.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse SAS tokens with identity-based authentication, thinking that any token-based access can satisfy the requirement for using AD DS credentials, or they may not fully understand the difference between storage account key access and AD DS integration.
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?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse network-level controls (like service endpoints) or key-based access methods (like SAS tokens) with identity-based authentication, failing to recognize that only enabling AD DS authentication on the storage account allows the use of existing domain credentials.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Files identity-based authentication leverages Kerberos tickets to authenticate users against the on-premises AD DS domain, which is then mapped to Azure RBAC roles (e.g., Storage File Data SMB Share Contributor) on the storage account. The domain-joined VM must have line-of-sight to the AD DS domain controller, and the storage account must be enabled for AD DS authentication via the Azure portal or PowerShell (Set-AzStorageAccount with -EnableActiveDirectoryDomainServicesForFile). Once configured, the share can be mounted using the net use command with the domain user context, and NTFS permissions are enforced at the file/directory level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable Azure Files identity-based authentication with Active Directory Domain Services. — Option A is correct because Azure Files supports identity-based authentication over SMB using Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). By enabling this on the storage account, the administrator can mount the file share using existing domain credentials instead of a storage account key, provided the client VM is domain-joined and the share is configured with appropriate NTFS permissions. This eliminates the need to manage or expose storage account keys.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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