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Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure

A company has a legacy application that requires SMB (Server Message Block) file shares to store and access configuration files. They want to migrate this data to Azure without modifying the application. Which Azure storage solution should they use?

⚠ Common exam trap

Test-takers frequently confuse Azure Blob Storage (object storage) with file shares, assuming it can serve SMB traffic, but Blob Storage does not natively support the SMB protocol and requires application modifications or third-party tools to emulate file shares.

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 SMB (Server Message Block) file shares in the cloud, supporting the SMB 3.0 protocol. This allows the legacy application to access configuration files over the network using standard file share paths without any code changes, making it the ideal migration target for lift-and-shift scenarios.

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

    Why it's wrong here

    Azure Blob Storage is optimized for storing large amounts of unstructured object data, but it does not support the SMB protocol natively. The application would need to be modified to use a different access method (e.g., REST API).

    When this WOULD be correct

    When a question asks for storing large amounts of unstructured data (e.g., images, videos, backups) accessible via HTTP/HTTPS, and the application can use REST APIs or SDKs, Azure Blob Storage is the correct choice.

  • ✓

    Azure Files

    Why this is correct

    Azure Files is a fully managed file share service that supports the SMB protocol, specifically SMB 3.0 and later, enabling a legacy application to mount a cloud-backed share just like a traditional on-premises file server. It provides native Windows and Linux client support, and with Azure Active Directory Domain Services integration, it can preserve existing SMB-based authentication and authorization, so the application continues to work without code changes.

  • ✗

    Azure Queue Storage

    Why it's wrong here

    Azure Queue Storage is a messaging service designed for reliable asynchronous communication between application components, not for file storage or shared file access. It does not expose an SMB endpoint and instead offers a REST API for enqueueing and dequeuing messages, so a legacy application that expects to read/write files using standard file I/O calls would be unable to mount a share or use SMB commands, making it completely inappropriate for this requirement.

    When this WOULD be correct

    Azure Queue Storage would be correct for a question about decoupling application components, such as when a web app needs to offload long-running tasks to a backend worker. The scenario would involve asynchronous message passing, not file sharing.

  • ✗

    Azure Disk Storage

    Why it's wrong here

    Azure Disk Storage provides persistent block storage for Azure Virtual Machines. It is not a shared file service and is typically attached to a single VM, not suitable for multiple application instances requiring shared access.

    When this WOULD be correct

    Azure Disk Storage is correct when the question specifies a need for persistent, high-performance block storage for a virtual machine, such as for a database or custom application that requires direct disk access via iSCSI or as a VM disk.

Option-by-option analysis

Why each answer is right or wrong

Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The DP-900 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.

✓Azure FilesCorrect answer▾

Why this is correct

Azure Files is a fully managed file share service that supports the SMB protocol, specifically SMB 3.0 and later, enabling a legacy application to mount a cloud-backed share just like a traditional on-premises file server. It provides native Windows and Linux client support, and with Azure Active Directory Domain Services integration, it can preserve existing SMB-based authentication and authorization, so the application continues to work without code changes.

✗Azure Blob StorageWrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Azure Blob Storage does not support SMB protocol; it uses REST APIs for access, so the legacy application requiring SMB file shares cannot use it without modification.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

When a question asks for storing large amounts of unstructured data (e.g., images, videos, backups) accessible via HTTP/HTTPS, and the application can use REST APIs or SDKs, Azure Blob Storage is the correct choice.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse Blob Storage with file storage because both can store data, but they overlook the specific protocol requirement (SMB) in the question.

✗Azure Queue StorageWrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Azure Queue Storage is a messaging service for asynchronous communication between application components, not a file share protocol. It does not support SMB protocol or provide a file system interface, so it cannot replace SMB file shares for the legacy application.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

Azure Queue Storage would be correct for a question about decoupling application components, such as when a web app needs to offload long-running tasks to a backend worker. The scenario would involve asynchronous message passing, not file sharing.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse Azure Queue Storage with a storage option for data, or mistakenly think it can serve files because it is a type of Azure storage. The word 'queue' might be overlooked, focusing only on 'storage'.

✗Azure Disk StorageWrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Azure Disk Storage provides block-level storage volumes for Azure VMs, not SMB file shares. It does not natively support the SMB protocol for file sharing, so the legacy application requiring SMB shares cannot use it without modification.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

Azure Disk Storage is correct when the question specifies a need for persistent, high-performance block storage for a virtual machine, such as for a database or custom application that requires direct disk access via iSCSI or as a VM disk.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse Azure Disk Storage with file storage because both are used for storing data, or they might think that any Azure storage can support SMB if configured, but Disk Storage does not offer file-level sharing.

Analysis generated from the official DP-900blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”

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JA

Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

This DP-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 DP-900 exam.