The answer is Azure Files, because it is the only Azure storage service that provides fully managed SMB file shares capable of being mounted simultaneously by multiple Azure VMs. This service uses the SMB protocol natively, allowing multiple virtual machines to access the same files concurrently while supporting Active Directory authentication and access control lists for granular permission management. On the AZ-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of the core difference between Azure Files (file-level, SMB-based sharing) and Azure Blob Storage (object storage, no SMB). A common trap is confusing Azure Files with Azure NetApp Files or Azure File Sync—remember that Azure Files is the simple, managed SMB share for VMs, while File Sync is for hybrid caching. For a quick memory tip, think “SMB = Shared Mounts with Blobs? No, that’s Files.”
AZ-900 Describe Azure architecture and services Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe azure architecture and services. 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 share a set of files between multiple Azure VMs using the SMB protocol. They require a managed file share that can be mounted simultaneously by multiple VMs with permissions managed via Active Directory. Which Azure storage service should they use?
Correct. Azure Files offers managed SMB file shares that can be accessed concurrently by multiple VMs and supports Azure AD authentication.
B
Azure Blob Storage
Why wrong: Incorrect. Blob storage is for unstructured object data, accessed via HTTP/HTTPS, not SMB, and not designed for concurrent file sharing with Windows protocols.
C
Azure Disk Storage
Why wrong: Incorrect. Disk storage provides block-level storage for VMs (i.e., OS/data disks), which cannot be shared simultaneously by multiple VMs without additional clustering.
D
Azure NetApp Files
Why wrong: Incorrect. Azure NetApp Files supports SMB and NFS but is a higher-end, more expensive solution. Azure Files is the standard managed file share for most scenarios.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Files
Azure Files provides fully managed SMB file shares in the cloud that can be mounted concurrently by multiple Azure VMs. It supports Active Directory (AD) authentication and access control lists (ACLs), making it the correct choice for sharing files via SMB with AD-managed permissions.
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
Why this is correct
Correct. Azure Files offers managed SMB file shares that can be accessed concurrently by multiple VMs and supports Azure AD authentication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Blob Storage
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Blob storage is for unstructured object data, accessed via HTTP/HTTPS, not SMB, and not designed for concurrent file sharing with Windows protocols.
✗
Azure Disk Storage
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Disk storage provides block-level storage for VMs (i.e., OS/data disks), which cannot be shared simultaneously by multiple VMs without additional clustering.
✗
Azure NetApp Files
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Azure NetApp Files supports SMB and NFS but is a higher-end, more expensive solution. Azure Files is the standard managed file share for most scenarios.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Blob Storage's NFS support (which is not SMB) or Azure Disk Storage's ability to be attached to multiple VMs (which requires shared disks with specific configurations, not general-purpose file sharing), leading them to overlook Azure Files as the only managed SMB file share service.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Incorrect. Azure NetApp Files supports SMB and NFS but is a higher-end, more expensive solution. Azure Files is the standard managed file share for most scenarios.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Files uses the SMB 3.0 protocol with encryption in transit, and when integrated with Azure AD DS or on-premises AD, it enables identity-based authentication using Kerberos. Under the hood, Azure Files leverages a distributed file system layer that supports server-side copy and snapshot capabilities, and it can be accessed from on-premises via Azure File Sync for hybrid scenarios.
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-900 question in full detail.
Describe Azure architecture and services — This question tests Describe Azure architecture and services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Files — Azure Files provides fully managed SMB file shares in the cloud that can be mounted concurrently by multiple Azure VMs. It supports Active Directory (AD) authentication and access control lists (ACLs), making it the correct choice for sharing files via SMB with AD-managed permissions.
What should I do if I get this AZ-900 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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