Question 229 of 1,170

Implement and Manage Storage →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct answer is to enable Azure Files identity-based authentication with Active Directory Domain Services on the storage account. This configuration allows the Windows file server VM to mount the Azure file share using existing AD DS credentials instead of a storage account key, because Azure Files supports Kerberos-based authentication over SMB when the storage account is joined to the on-premises domain. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to secure file share access without exposing keys, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly choose to configure a private endpoint or assign RBAC roles. The key trap is that RBAC controls management-plane access, not the SMB authentication needed for mounting the share. Remember the mnemonic: “Keys are for the portal, Kerberos is for the mount.”

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?

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

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.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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.
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.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
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.
✗
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.
✗
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.

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.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Related AZ-104 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Manage Azure Identities and Governance practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Manage Azure Identities and Governance.

Implement and Manage Storage practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Storage.

Deploy and Manage Azure Compute practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Deploy and Manage Azure Compute.

Implement and Manage Virtual Networking practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Virtual Networking.

Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources.

AZ-104 Azure RBAC practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure RBAC.

AZ-104 storage account practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 storage account.

AZ-104 virtual network practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 virtual network.

AZ-104 NSG practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 NSG.

AZ-104 Azure Monitor practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure Monitor.

AZ-104 backup practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 backup.

AZ-104 managed identity practice questions

Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 managed identity.

Practice this exam

Start a free AZ-104 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

AZ-104 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

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 →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Same concept, more angles

1 more ways 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 file server VM in Azure needs to mount an Azure file share by using existing Active Directory Domain Services credentials. The security team does not want to use storage account keys. Which authentication option should be configured for Azure Files?

medium

A.Shared key authorization, because it is the only method supported by Azure Files.
✓ B.Azure Files identity-based authentication using Active Directory Domain Services.
C.A user delegation SAS, because it maps the share automatically to domain accounts.
D.Anonymous access, because Windows file servers can mount Azure shares without authentication.

Why B: Azure Files supports identity-based authentication using Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), which allows domain-joined VMs to mount Azure file shares using existing AD credentials without exposing storage account keys. This method leverages Kerberos authentication and enables fine-grained access control via NTFS permissions, meeting the security team's requirement to avoid storage account keys.

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.