AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are benefits of using Azure Files shares for lift-and-shift migrations of on-premises file servers?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse Azure Files with Azure NetApp Files or on-premises file server features, assuming block-level deduplication or iSCSI support are available, when in fact Azure Files is a managed SMB/NFS service without those capabilities.
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
✓
Integration with Azure File Sync for hybrid scenarios
Azure Files shares provide fully managed SMB file shares in the cloud, which are directly compatible with on-premises file servers that use the SMB protocol. This makes them ideal for lift-and-shift migrations because applications can continue accessing files over SMB without code changes. Azure File Sync further extends this by enabling hybrid scenarios where on-premises servers can cache frequently accessed files while tiering to the cloud, simplifying the migration process.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Integration with Azure File Sync for hybrid scenarios
Why this is correct
Azure File Sync is a native Azure service that replicates an Azure file share to on-premises Windows Servers, creating a multi-site distributed cache. This integration enables hybrid scenarios where branch offices and local users can access a local server cache with low latency while still benefiting from centralized management, backup, and disaster recovery in Azure. It is a core benefit of Azure Files because it directly extends your cloud file share to existing on-premises infrastructure.
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Block-level deduplication
Why it's wrong here
Block-level deduplication is not natively supported by Azure Files. While Windows Server allows you to enable the Deduplication feature on a file server, Azure Files itself does not deduplicate identical blocks across files stored in a share. If you need deduplication, you must deploy a separate solution or use Windows Server's Data Deduplication on an on-premises server, not rely on Azure Files.
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Support for iSCSI protocol
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files does not support the iSCSI protocol; it offers file-level access exclusively through SMB and NFS. iSCSI is a block-level storage protocol typically used for raw volumes and not supported by Azure file share endpoints. Consequently, applications that require iSCSI targets cannot be directly migrated to native Azure Files and would need Azure Managed Disks or other block-storage options instead.
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Automatic tiering of data to archive storage
Why it's wrong here
Automatic tiering to archive storage is a feature of Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management, not Azure Files. Azure Files provides hot and cool access tiers, but there is no native archive tier for file shares; archiving to slow, infrequent-access storage is not available within the Azure Files service. Azure File Sync's cloud tiering does move files asynchronously to Azure, but it does not place them in Blob's Archive tier.
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Support for SMB protocol
Why this is correct
Azure Files supports the SMB protocol (SMB 3.0 and later), enabling seamless access from Windows, Linux, and macOS clients. This protocol support is a key benefit because it lets you lift and shift existing on-premises file shares to Azure without rewriting client applications or changing your file-sharing protocol. Integration with Microsoft Entra ID and built-in encryption in SMB 3.0 further enhances the enterprise readiness of Azure Files.
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