- A
Azure Files (Premium tier)
Premium Azure Files provides SSD-backed SMB shares, low latency, high IOPS, and supports up to 1000 concurrent connections per share, making it ideal for this scenario.
- B
Azure Blob Storage
Why wrong: Azure Blob Storage is object storage and does not natively support the SMB protocol; accessing it from VMs would require additional components like a file gateway.
- C
Azure NetApp Files
Why wrong: Azure NetApp Files offers SMB shares but is typically more expensive and suited for high-performance computing, not the most cost-effective for general file sharing with up to 1000 connections.
- D
Azure Managed Disks
Why wrong: Managed Disks are block-level volumes attached to a single VM; they cannot be shared concurrently across hundreds of VMs.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Files Premium tier. This is the correct choice because it delivers fully managed SMB file shares backed by SSD storage, ensuring the low-latency and high-throughput performance required for unstructured file data like documents and images accessed concurrently from hundreds of Azure VMs. Premium file shares are specifically designed to support up to 1000 simultaneous connections per share, directly matching the high concurrency requirement. On the Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to differentiate between Azure Files tiers and other storage options like Azure NetApp Files or Blob Storage; a common trap is choosing NetApp Files for its performance, but the question’s emphasis on a fully managed SMB solution with up to 1000 connections points squarely to Premium Azure Files. Remember the memory tip: “Premium for SMB concurrency, Standard for cost efficiency”—if the scenario demands low latency and high throughput with SMB, think Premium first.
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 needs to store large amounts of unstructured file data (documents, images) that is accessed concurrently from hundreds of Azure VMs. The data must be accessible via the SMB protocol and provide low-latency, high-throughput performance. The solution must be fully managed and support up to 1000 simultaneous connections. Which Azure storage solution should they choose?
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 (Premium tier)
Azure Files (Premium tier) is correct because it provides fully managed SMB file shares with low-latency, high-throughput performance suitable for concurrent access from hundreds of Azure VMs. Premium file shares are backed by SSD storage and are designed to support up to 1000 simultaneous connections per share, meeting the stated requirements for unstructured file data accessed via SMB.
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 Files (Premium tier)
Why this is correct
Premium Azure Files provides SSD-backed SMB shares, low latency, high IOPS, and supports up to 1000 concurrent connections per share, making it ideal for this scenario.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure Blob Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Blob Storage is object storage and does not natively support the SMB protocol; accessing it from VMs would require additional components like a file gateway.
- ✗
Azure NetApp Files
Why it's wrong here
Azure NetApp Files offers SMB shares but is typically more expensive and suited for high-performance computing, not the most cost-effective for general file sharing with up to 1000 connections.
- ✗
Azure Managed Disks
Why it's wrong here
Managed Disks are block-level volumes attached to a single VM; they cannot be shared concurrently across hundreds of VMs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Blob Storage with file shares because both store unstructured data, but Blob Storage lacks native SMB protocol support and is not optimized for concurrent file-level access from hundreds of VMs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Files Premium tier uses SMB 3.0 protocol with multichannel support, which allows multiple network connections per client to aggregate bandwidth and reduce latency. Under the hood, it leverages Azure’s distributed file system with SSD-backed storage, providing consistent IOPS and throughput even under heavy concurrent loads. In real-world scenarios, this makes it ideal for lift-and-shift migrations of on-premises file servers or applications that require shared storage with SMB access, such as SQL Server or DevOps tools.
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.
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Design data storage solutions — study guide chapter
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Design data storage solutions practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
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 Files (Premium tier) — Azure Files (Premium tier) is correct because it provides fully managed SMB file shares with low-latency, high-throughput performance suitable for concurrent access from hundreds of Azure VMs. Premium file shares are backed by SSD storage and are designed to support up to 1000 simultaneous connections per share, meeting the stated requirements for unstructured file data accessed via SMB.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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