- A
An Azure Blob container mounted as a local NTFS volume on both VMs
Why wrong: Blob containers do not provide a native shared file system mount that behaves like a regular shared folder for both operating systems.
- B
An Azure Files share mounted from Windows by using SMB and from Linux by using SMB or the Azure Files mount command
Azure Files is designed for shared file access from both Windows and Linux. It provides a managed file share that can be mounted with native tools, avoiding the need to operate a separate file server. This matches the requirement for a common working folder accessible from both operating systems.
- C
A managed disk attached to both VMs in read-write mode
Why wrong: Managed disks cannot be attached in read-write mode to two independent VMs like a shared file server, so this would not satisfy concurrent access.
- D
An Azure Queue storage account with application-level file synchronization
Why wrong: Queue storage is for message delivery, not for shared file access or mounting a common folder on two VMs.
Mounting Azure Files from Windows and Linux
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 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?
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
An Azure Files share mounted from Windows by using SMB and from Linux by using SMB or the Azure Files mount command
Option B is correct because 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.
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.
- ✗
An Azure Blob container mounted as a local NTFS volume on both VMs
Why it's wrong here
Blob containers do not provide a native shared file system mount that behaves like a regular shared folder for both operating systems.
- ✓
An Azure Files share mounted from Windows by using SMB and from Linux by using SMB or the Azure Files mount command
Why this is correct
Azure Files is designed for shared file access from both Windows and Linux. It provides a managed file share that can be mounted with native tools, avoiding the need to operate a separate file server. This matches the requirement for a common working folder accessible from both operating systems.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A managed disk attached to both VMs in read-write mode
Why it's wrong here
Managed disks cannot be attached in read-write mode to two independent VMs like a shared file server, so this would not satisfy concurrent access.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to attach a single data disk to multiple VMs for a clustered application (e.g., SQL Server FCI) using SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations, and the VMs are part of a Windows Server Failover Cluster or similar cluster that manages concurrent access.
- ✗
An Azure Queue storage account with application-level file synchronization
Why it's wrong here
Queue storage is for message delivery, not for shared file access or mounting a common folder on two VMs.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to decouple application components for asynchronous processing, such as a web app sending tasks to a backend worker. Azure Queue storage would be correct for storing messages that trigger processing, not for shared file access.
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.
✓An Azure Files share mounted from Windows by using SMB and from Linux by using SMB or the Azure Files mount commandCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Azure Files is designed for shared file access from both Windows and Linux. It provides a managed file share that can be mounted with native tools, avoiding the need to operate a separate file server. This matches the requirement for a common working folder accessible from both operating systems.
✗An Azure Blob container mounted as a local NTFS volume on both VMsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Blob containers cannot be mounted as a local NTFS volume natively; they require third-party tools or custom applications, and Windows does not support mounting Blob storage as an NTFS volume without additional software.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to store large amounts of unstructured data (e.g., images, videos) accessible via HTTP/HTTPS from multiple VMs, and the VMs can use Azure Blob storage SDKs or REST APIs to access the data, not requiring native OS mounting.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Blob storage with Azure Files, thinking both can be mounted as drives, or they may assume that any Azure storage can be mounted natively on both Windows and Linux.
✗A managed disk attached to both VMs in read-write modeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A managed disk cannot be attached to multiple VMs in read-write mode simultaneously; Azure managed disks support shared attachments only with specific configurations (e.g., shared disks) that require cluster-aware file systems, not native OS tools for simple file sharing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to attach a single data disk to multiple VMs for a clustered application (e.g., SQL Server FCI) using SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations, and the VMs are part of a Windows Server Failover Cluster or similar cluster that manages concurrent access.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a managed disk can be shared like a network drive, overlooking Azure's limitation that a disk can only be attached to one VM at a time unless using specialized shared disk features with cluster coordination.
✗An Azure Queue storage account with application-level file synchronizationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Queue storage is a messaging service for asynchronous communication, not a file-sharing solution. It cannot be mounted as a shared working folder using native OS tools, and it lacks file system semantics required for concurrent read/write access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to decouple application components for asynchronous processing, such as a web app sending tasks to a backend worker. Azure Queue storage would be correct for storing messages that trigger processing, not for shared file access.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Queue storage with a general-purpose storage service, assuming it can store and synchronize files, or they might think 'file synchronization' implies a shared folder capability.
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 may confuse Azure Blob storage (object storage) with Azure Files (file shares) and assume Blob can be mounted locally, or they may incorrectly think a managed disk can be attached to multiple VMs simultaneously without understanding the limitations of shared disk attachments.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Files uses the SMB 3.0 protocol, which is natively supported by Windows and can be used on Linux via the cifs-utils package (mount.cifs). For Linux, the Azure Files mount command (e.g., 'mount -t cifs') simplifies authentication and encryption. A key subtlety is that SMB 3.0 requires encryption in transit, which is enforced by default for Azure Files shares accessed over the internet, ensuring secure connections without additional configuration.
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: An Azure Files share mounted from Windows by using SMB and from Linux by using SMB or the Azure Files mount command — Option B is correct because 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.
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 →
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 team wants one Azure Files share to be used by both Windows and Linux virtual machines. Which two mounting approaches are valid? Select two.
easy- ✓ A.Map the share on Windows by using the built-in SMB client.
- ✓ B.Mount the share on Linux by using an SMB/CIFS client such as mount.cifs.
- C.Mount the share on Linux by using the Azure Blob service endpoint.
- D.Use an Azure VPN gateway to make the file share mount possible.
- E.Use an Azure load balancer to present the share to both VMs.
Why A: Option A is correct because 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.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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