- A
Azure Files
Azure Files offers fully managed file shares accessible via SMB, which can be mounted by multiple VMs concurrently across availability zones, meeting the requirement for shared access.
- B
Azure Blob Storage
Why wrong: Azure Blob Storage is an object storage solution for unstructured data. It does not natively support the SMB protocol or provide a file system mountable by multiple VMs for concurrent read/write operations.
- C
Azure Managed Disks
Why wrong: Azure Managed Disks are page blobs that provide persistent block storage for a single VM. They cannot be attached to multiple VMs simultaneously, so they are not suitable for a shared file system.
- D
Azure Queue Storage
Why wrong: Azure Queue Storage is a messaging service for asynchronous communication between application components. It does not provide a file system interface or support SMB.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Files, because it is the only Azure storage service that provides fully managed, cloud-based file shares supporting the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, which is essential for concurrent read/write access from Linux VMs across multiple availability zones. Azure Files leverages SMB 3.0 with encryption, ensuring low-latency access and data consistency for cluster applications, even when VMs are distributed across different zones in the West US region. On the AZ-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of Azure storage services and their protocols—specifically, that Azure Blob Storage uses REST APIs, not SMB, while Azure Files is designed for shared file systems. A common trap is confusing Azure Files with Azure NetApp Files, but the latter is more enterprise-focused and not required for SMB-based zone access. Memory tip: think “SMB = Shared Mounts for Blobs? No—Azure Files is the File share for SMB.”
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.
Company A deploys several Linux virtual machines (VMs) across multiple Azure availability zones in the West US region. The VMs run a cluster application that needs to read and write data concurrently to a shared file system. The solution must support the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol and must be accessible from all zones with low latency. Which Azure storage service should the company 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
Azure Files provides fully managed file shares in the cloud that support the SMB protocol, making it the correct choice for a shared file system accessible from multiple Azure availability zones with low latency. It allows concurrent read/write access from Linux VMs across zones, meeting the cluster application's requirements.
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
Azure Files offers fully managed file shares accessible via SMB, which can be mounted by multiple VMs concurrently across availability zones, meeting the requirement for shared access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure Blob Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Blob Storage is an object storage solution for unstructured data. It does not natively support the SMB protocol or provide a file system mountable by multiple VMs for concurrent read/write operations.
- ✗
Azure Managed Disks
Why it's wrong here
Azure Managed Disks are page blobs that provide persistent block storage for a single VM. They cannot be attached to multiple VMs simultaneously, so they are not suitable for a shared file system.
- ✗
Azure Queue Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Queue Storage is a messaging service for asynchronous communication between application components. It does not provide a file system interface or support SMB.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Blob Storage with Azure Files because both are storage services, but Blob Storage does not support the SMB protocol or concurrent file-level access from multiple VMs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Files uses the SMB 3.0 protocol, which includes encryption and multi-channel support for improved performance over the network. For Linux VMs, the `cifs-utils` package is used to mount the file share, and Azure Files supports both SMB 2.1 and 3.0, with SMB 3.0 required for encryption and access from outside the Azure region. In a multi-zone deployment, Azure Files provides a single namespace accessible from all zones, with built-in redundancy options like locally redundant storage (LRS) or zone-redundant storage (ZRS) to ensure availability.
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-900 question test?
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 file shares in the cloud that support the SMB protocol, making it the correct choice for a shared file system accessible from multiple Azure availability zones with low latency. It allows concurrent read/write access from Linux VMs across zones, meeting the cluster application's requirements.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This AZ-900 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-900 exam.
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