- A
Azure Disk Storage with shared disks
Why wrong: Shared disks support SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations but are designed for clustered applications, not general file sharing; they also require premium SSDs and have limitations.
- B
Azure NetApp Files with network security groups
Why wrong: Azure NetApp Files is a high-performance file service but is more costly and complex; NSGs alone do not prevent internet exposure if the service is accessible over the internet.
- C
Azure Blob Storage with a service endpoint
Why wrong: Blob storage is object storage, not designed for file-level access from multiple VMs; service endpoints allow internet exposure unless combined with a private endpoint.
- D
Azure Files with a private endpoint
Azure Files provides SMB file shares accessible from multiple VMs; private endpoints ensure the share is only accessible within the virtual network.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Files with a private endpoint, because this configuration allows you to mount SMB file shares from multiple virtual machines simultaneously while ensuring all traffic remains within your virtual network and never traverses the public internet. By attaching a private endpoint to the storage account, you assign it a private IP from your VNet’s address space, effectively isolating the file share from external exposure. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of hybrid storage connectivity and network segmentation—a common trap is choosing Azure Blob Storage (which lacks native SMB multi-VM mounting) or using a service endpoint (which still routes traffic over the Microsoft backbone but doesn’t fully privatize the endpoint). Remember the memory tip: “Files need private IPs for private SMBs”—if the requirement is VNet-only access with multi-VM file sharing, always pair Azure Files with a private endpoint.
AZ-305 Design infrastructure solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design infrastructure solutions. 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.
Your company is migrating a legacy on-premises application to Azure. The application requires persistent storage for configuration files that must be accessible from multiple virtual machines in a virtual network. The storage must be accessible only from within the virtual network and should not be exposed to the internet. Which Azure storage solution should you use?
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
Azure Files with a private endpoint
Azure Files shares can be mounted via SMB and accessed from multiple VMs simultaneously. Private endpoints ensure traffic stays within the virtual network, preventing internet exposure.
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.
- ✗
Azure Disk Storage with shared disks
Why it's wrong here
Shared disks support SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations but are designed for clustered applications, not general file sharing; they also require premium SSDs and have limitations.
- ✗
Azure NetApp Files with network security groups
Why it's wrong here
Azure NetApp Files is a high-performance file service but is more costly and complex; NSGs alone do not prevent internet exposure if the service is accessible over the internet.
- ✗
Azure Blob Storage with a service endpoint
Why it's wrong here
Blob storage is object storage, not designed for file-level access from multiple VMs; service endpoints allow internet exposure unless combined with a private endpoint.
- ✓
Azure Files with a private endpoint
Why this is correct
Azure Files provides SMB file shares accessible from multiple VMs; private endpoints ensure the share is only accessible within the virtual network.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 AZ-305 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Design infrastructure solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Design infrastructure solutions practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
Design infrastructure solutions — This question tests Design infrastructure solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Files with a private endpoint — Azure Files shares can be mounted via SMB and accessed from multiple VMs simultaneously. Private endpoints ensure traffic stays within the virtual network, preventing internet exposure.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Identify which AZ-305 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This AZ-305 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-305 exam.
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