The correct answer is Azure NetApp Files because it is the only Azure storage solution that natively supports both NFS and SMB protocols while delivering sub-millisecond latency and high throughput for large files up to 10 GB. Built on NetApp’s ONTAP technology, it provides a fully managed, high-performance file share designed for latency-sensitive enterprise workloads, easily meeting the under-5 ms requirement. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between Azure Files (which supports SMB but has higher latency for large files) and Azure NetApp Files, which excels in low-latency, multi-protocol environments. A common trap is choosing Azure Files for its SMB support, but remember that Azure NetApp Files is the only option that guarantees sub-5 ms latency for both NFS and SMB with large file throughput. Memory tip: think “ONTAP for ON-target latency” — when protocols and speed both matter, NetApp Files is the clear pick.
AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design data storage solutions. 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 company is designing a storage solution for a critical application that requires low latency (under 5 ms) and high throughput for large files (up to 10 GB). The solution must support NFS and SMB protocols. Which Azure storage solution should you recommend?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure NetApp Files
Azure NetApp Files is the correct choice because it provides a fully managed, high-performance file share service that supports both NFS and SMB protocols natively, with sub-millisecond latency and throughput suitable for large files up to 10 GB. It is built on NetApp's ONTAP technology and is designed for latency-sensitive enterprise workloads, meeting the under-5 ms requirement while handling large file sizes efficiently.
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 Blob Storage (premium tier)
Why it's wrong here
Blob Storage is object storage and does not support file system protocols like NFS/SMB natively.
✓
Azure NetApp Files
Why this is correct
Azure NetApp Files offers high performance, low latency, and both NFS and SMB protocols for large files.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Managed Disks (Ultra Disk)
Why it's wrong here
Managed Disks are block storage for VMs, not shared file storage with NFS/SMB.
✗
Azure Files (premium tier)
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files premium supports SMB; NFS is in preview and may not meet latency requirements consistently.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Files (premium) with Azure NetApp Files, assuming both offer identical NFS and SMB support, but Azure Files' NFS is still in preview and lacks the enterprise-grade performance and protocol maturity of Azure NetApp Files for large-file, low-latency workloads.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure NetApp Files leverages the NetApp ONTAP storage operating system, which provides features like SnapMirror, thin provisioning, and quality-of-service (QoS) policies to guarantee low latency and high throughput. It uses a distributed file system architecture that can scale performance linearly by adding capacity, and it supports NFSv3, NFSv4.1, and SMB 3.0/3.1.1 simultaneously on the same volume, making it ideal for mixed-protocol environments. In a real-world scenario, a media rendering farm requiring both NFS for Linux render nodes and SMB for Windows workstations would benefit from Azure NetApp Files' ability to serve both protocols without data duplication.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-305 question in full detail.
Design data storage solutions — This question tests Design data storage solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure NetApp Files — Azure NetApp Files is the correct choice because it provides a fully managed, high-performance file share service that supports both NFS and SMB protocols natively, with sub-millisecond latency and throughput suitable for large files up to 10 GB. It is built on NetApp's ONTAP technology and is designed for latency-sensitive enterprise workloads, meeting the under-5 ms requirement while handling large file sizes efficiently.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 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.
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Question Discussion
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