Microsoft AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 2 Q16-30

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Question 16

Which Windows Server technology allows administrators to assign storage to virtual machines on demand while only using the physical disk space that is actually consumed?

A) Thin Provisioning
B) Deduplication
C) Storage Replica
D) BranchCache

Answer:  A) Thin Provisioning

Explanation:

Thin provisioning in Windows Server allows administrators to assign virtual disk storage capacity to virtual machines without immediately consuming all the physical storage allocated. It is a highly efficient method that helps reduce wasted disk space and enables better scaling in hybrid environments where resources may span both on-premises and cloud platforms. Thin provisioning ensures that storage is allocated only when data is actually written. This significantly improves utilization, especially in environments with large numbers of virtual machines that do not fully consume their allocated storage. This capability allows organizations to delay hardware purchases and maintain cost efficiency while supporting dynamic workloads that may grow over time.

Deduplication is a data optimization technology that identifies and eliminates duplicate copies of data, reducing total storage consumption. While it increases efficiency by minimizing redundant data on disk, it does not dynamically allocate space or control how much storage a virtual disk initially consumes. Its primary purpose is the reduction of used disk space, not the deferred allocation that thin provisioning specifically delivers. Deduplication typically works well for archival data, user folders, or backup volumes, but does not replace thin provisioning functionality.

Storage Replica provides disaster recovery by replicating volumes synchronously or asynchronously between servers or datacenters. The goal of this feature is to ensure the availability and consistency of data in case of failures. It does not work to optimize storage allocation or minimize physical storage utilization in the way thin provisioning does. Storage Replica maintains complete data copies and therefore can even require more storage overhead in certain architectures instead of reducing usage like thin provisioning.

BranchCache improves performance in remote or branch offices by caching frequently accessed files locally instead of retrieving them repeatedly from central servers. It reduces WAN bandwidth consumption and improves access speed, but it does not impact whether virtual machines consume physical storage when volume space is assigned. BranchCache is a caching solution, not a storage allocation solution.

Thin provisioning is the correct answer because it allows Windows Server environments to offer large virtual disks to workloads while avoiding unnecessary upfront storage consumption. As hybrid infrastructures scale dynamically, administrators take advantage of thin provisioning to maintain performance, cost efficiency, and cloud-ready flexibility without committing physical storage until it is needed.

Question 17

Which authentication protocol is primarily used by Active Directory Domain Services to authorize access to domain resources?

A) Kerberos
B) SMB
C) TLS
D) ICMP

Answer:  A) Kerberos

Explanation:

Kerberos is the primary authentication protocol used by Active Directory Domain Services to validate user identity and authorize access to Windows domain resources. It is designed to use ticket-based authentication, improving both speed and security by eliminating the need to repeatedly transmit passwords over the network. Kerberos relies on a trusted third-party Key Distribution Center that issues authentication and service tickets, ensuring that identity verification stays secure and resistant to impersonation attacks. It supports mutual authentication, ensuring that both clients and servers verify each other’s trust before communication happens. In hybrid deployments where federation or cloud resources exist, Kerberos continues to handle on-premises authentication with integration into broader identity systems when needed.

SMB is a file-sharing protocol that allows devices to access shared folders, printers, and other local services. It is an important part of Windows networking, but not responsible for authentication. SMB transfers data, and while it requires authentication to operate, it is Kerberos or NTLM behind the scenes that performs the identity verification. Thu, SMB plays a different role, focused on data access rather than credential validation itself.

TLS is an encryption protocol used to secure communication over networks, such as web traffic or encrypted application connections. It ensures confidentiality and integrity but does not serve as an authentication protocol for Active Directory. It can enhance secure sessions once authentication is completed, but does not replace authentication functions inside the domain. TLS may be used in federation or cloud sign-in scenarios, but Kerberos remains central to AD DS on-prem authentication operations.

ICMP is used for basic network testing and diagnostics, such as ping operations, and it does not provide identity authentication or authorization services of any kind. It simply checks network reachability and latency and cannot participate in domain authentication processes.

Kerberos is correct because it handles secure and efficient authentication across Windows Server domains. It provides strong cryptography, ticket-based trust, and tight integration with Active Directory, making it a key component for authorization in modern enterprise and hybrid infrastructures.

Question 18

Which Windows Server feature allows encrypted replication of volumes between sites to support disaster recovery in a hybrid infrastructure?

A) Storage Replica
B) DFS Replication
C) iSCSI Target Server
D) Network Load Balancing

Answer:  A) Storage Replica

Explanation:

Storage Replica is the Windows Server feature specifically designed to provide volume-level replication for disaster recovery and business continuity. It supports both synchronous and asynchronous replication, enabling organizations to protect data across datacenters or hybrid cloud locations. Synchronous replication ensures no data loss during site failures by maintaining identical copies at both ends, making it ideal for high-value workloads. Asynchronous replication allows replication over high-latency links while still protecting data with recent copies at a secondary site. Storage Replica encrypts replication traffic using SMB encryption to ensure data remains secure during transfer, a key requirement in hybrid infrastructures where traffic may traverse semi-trusted networks or cloud connections.

DFS Replication handles file-based replication and is mostly used for distributed file systems to ensure branch offices have access to shared data. It cannot guarantee write-order consistency or volume-wide protection like Storage Replica, making it unsuitable for critical disaster recovery scenarios requiring application-consistent copies.

iSCSI Target Server allows block-level storage to be presented over the network. While essential for shared storage and virtualization scenarios, it does not provide replication capabilities for disaster recovery. It supports access but not protection of distributed data.

Network Load Balancing distributes client requests across multiple servers to improve performance and uptime for applications such as web services. It does not protect data or replicate volumes, and it cannot restore operations after data loss.

Storage Replica is correct because it offers enterprise-grade hybrid disaster recovery capabilities, ensuring encrypted, consistent protection of data volumes across different sites or cloud-connected environments.

Question 19

You manage a hybrid Active Directory environment. You need to ensure passwords are validated on-premises while still supporting Microsoft 365 sign-ins. Which solution should be implemented?

A) Pass-through Authentication
B) LDAP
C) RADIUS
D) SMB Signing

Answer:  A) Pass-through Authentication

Explanation:

Pass-through authentication is the solution that allows users to sign in to cloud services such as Microsoft 365 while validating their credentials against on-premises Active Directory. It ensures passwords never sync to the cloud, instead enabling secure direct validation using lightweight agents installed on domain-joined servers. This maintains existing security policies while extending identity infrastructure into hybrid operations. Pass-through authentication helps organizations with security regulations that require credentials to remain under local control while users still benefit from cloud services. It offers seamless sign-ins, supports modern authentication, and eliminates the requirement to deploy full federation servers.

LDAP is a directory service protocol used primarily for querying and modifying objects within Active Directory on-premises. Although it is essential for on-prem applications and internal authentication, it does not provide direct authentication capability for Microsoft 365 logins. LDAP cannot serve as the bridge for hybrid cloud authentication, because Microsoft 365 requires federation or integration with Azure AD authentication methods, making LDAP unsuitable for validating cloud service sign-ins.

RADIUS is a protocol most frequently used for network authentication, typically for VPN or wireless access. Its function is to validate credentials for connecting to network infrastructure, not cloud applications. Even if RADIUS interacts with Active Directory indirectly, it cannot provide Microsoft 365 sign-in capabilities or enable seamless hybrid identity authentication necessary for enterprise domain accounts using Azure AD services. It is specialized for network connectivity, not cloud identity integration.

SMB Signing ensures file share communication integrity within Windows networks. It verifies that traffic sent between clients and servers is legitimate and untampered, significantly enhancing security for file-sharing communications. Despite being important for protecting data over SMB connections, it is completely unrelated to authentication in cloud environments. It cannot validate credentials for Azure AD or provide hybrid identity capabilities.

Pass-through authentication is the correct solution because it ensures that credential validation continues to occur within the organization’s domain controllers while simultaneously enabling modern authentication capabilities for cloud resources. It preserves compliance requirements where password hashes cannot be uploaded into Azure AD and offers extensive integration capabilities without complex federation architecture. It maintains user experience while enabling hybrid cloud adoption and provides strong security controls, as passwords never leave the trusted on-premises boundaries.

Question 20

You need to deploy Windows Server on Azure virtual machines while managing them using the same tools as your on-premises servers. Which technology enables centralized administration across both environments?

A) Windows Admin Center
B) DHCP Server
C) iSNS Server
D) Network Policy Server

Answer:  A) Windows Admin Center

Explanation:

Windows Admin Center enables centralized administration for Windows Server across both on-premises and Azure environments. It provides a browser-based console that unifies management tasks, including monitoring, patching, role configuration, hybrid capabilities, and virtualization management. It is specifically designed for hybrid infrastructures, enabling administrators to add Azure Arc integration to manage machines running in Azure or other cloud services using the same familiar tools. It reduces reliance on legacy consoles while simplifying complex tasks related to certificates, clusters, performance monitoring, storage, and security configurations. Windows Admin Center is lightweight, requires no Azure dependency unless hybrid features are desired, and supports modern security with Azure AD authentication.

A DHCP Server manages IP address assignment within local networks. Although crucial for internal device connectivity, it does not provide server administration, monitoring, or hybrid cloud management capabilities. DHCP plays a foundational role in network infrastructure, but cannot centralize administrative tools or extend controls into Azure virtual machines. It solves a completely different requirement focused on automated addressing.

iSNS Server is used to manage and discover iSCSI resources within a storage area network. It allows centralized tracking of targets and initiators, but has no function related to multi-environment Windows Server management. It is strictly a storage discovery protocol service and cannot unify administration across hybrid infrastructures.

Network Policy Server enforces access policies for network authentication and authorization. It is valuable for RADIUS-based authentication restrictions, Wi-Fi network policy enforcement, and VPN access control. It does not manage servers, their operating system components, roles, or hybrid cloud connectivity. It focuses on identity and access security, not full administrative management.

Windows Admin Center is correct because it provides the essential hybrid management capability required to oversee Azure virtual machines and local servers from a single interface. It strengthens operational consistency, reduces administrative fragmentation, and supports cloud-connected tools that enhance maintenance, security, and lifecycle operations across all environments.

Question 21

You must ensure that an on-premises Windows Server file server’s data is accessible to cloud users without migrating files to the cloud. Which technology should be used?

A) Azure File Sync
B) Hyper-V Replica
C) Storage QoS
D) Dynamic DNS

Answer:  A) Azure File Sync

Explanation:

Azure File Sync enables organizations to keep data stored on-premises while making it available through Azure-based file shares. It provides centralized cloud access and multi-site synchronization while ensuring that frequently accessed files remain cached locally for performance. It introduces cloud tiering, which automatically moves older and less-used files to the cloud, reducing pressure on local disks. This is ideal for hybrid environments where on-prem applications depend on local file shares, but remote users or cloud systems require access to the same data. By leveraging Azure storage as the authoritative cloud repository, file servers remain active and operational without requiring a complete data migration.

Hyper-V Replica supports replication of virtual machines between hosts for disaster recovery. While important for ensuring the availability of workloads, it does not provide access to file server content from cloud services nor enable cross-site file synchronization. Its purpose is to maintain business continuity for virtual environments, not to share files across hybrid infrastructures.

Storage QoS manages storage performance for virtualized workloads by controlling how I/O is distributed among virtual disks. The technology assists in preventing specific virtual machines from consuming excessive storage bandwidth, improving fairness and stability. However, it has no capability to share on-prem files with cloud-based users or to synchronize file access across locations.

Dynamic DNS dynamically updates DNS entries to ensure hostname resolution for changing IP addresses, especially in environments with DHCP. Although essential for ensuring connectivity to local resources, DNS plays no role in storing or synchronizing file data and cannot support hybrid file access solutions.

Azure File Sync is correct because it enables hybrid file access by extending traditional file servers into Azure, allowing users from multiple locations to retrieve and modify shared documents while preserving existing workflows. It improves global accessibility, optimizes storage, and maintains operational continuity without requiring costly and disruptive migrations.

Question 22

You are configuring virtualization in a hybrid Windows Server environment. You need to ensure virtual machines have live migration capabilities without shared storage. Which technology should you implement?

A) Shared Nothing Live Migration
B) Storage Spaces Direct
C) Hyper-V Replica
D) NIC Teaming

Answer:  A) Shared Nothing Live Migration

Explanation:

Shared Nothing Live Migration allows administrators to migrate running virtual machines between Hyper-V hosts without requiring shared storage or a failover cluster. This technology is specifically designed to simplify mobility in environments where hosts store virtual machine files locally. It transfers both memory and storage while the virtual machine continues running. It enables true flexibility for hybrid and standalone deployments where shared SAN infrastructure may not be available or cost-effective. It benefits smaller sites, edge locations, or test environments where downtime must be minimized but infrastructure investment must remain controlled. It leverages standard network connections and does not require extensive reconfiguration of storage or networking resources. It provides near-continuous availability and supports maintenance operations, resource rebalancing, and improved operational agility.

Storage Spaces Direct aggregates local disks into a software-defined storage cluster to provide high-performance shared storage. This allows virtual machines to run in a failover cluster environment, but its purpose is not to perform migration without shared storage. Instead, it creates highly available shared storage, and therefore, it solves a different requirement. It cannot replace a method that allows migrations between hosts that do not share disk access. It is powerful for building resilient clusters but requires multiple nodes and specific hardware networking configurations.

Hyper-V Replica is a disaster recovery technology that maintains a copy of a virtual machine asynchronously on another host. It is designed for failure restoration rather than real-time movement. It requires a planned failover or unplanned failover event and includes disruption during role changes. It does not maintain a seamless live state during transfer. It protects against outages instead of supporting ongoing operational movement of active workloads across hosts.

NIC Teaming aggregates multiple physical network adapters to improve redundancy and throughput. While beneficial for ensuring resilient network connectivity and increasing performance during migrations, it does not provide migration functionality on its own. It enhances reliability but cannot move virtual machines or manage their storage.

Shared Nothing Live Migration is correct because it directly enables the movement of active virtual machines from one Hyper-V host to another without requiring shared storage or interruption. It supports flexibility and business continuity in hybrid, remote, or cost-sensitive environments while preserving uptime and operational efficiency.

Question 23

Your organization requires performance monitoring of Windows Server resources both on-premises and Azure-based systems. You want a single tool that provides centralized insights, alerting, and hybrid integration capabilities. What should you use?

A) Azure Monitor
B) Windows Server Backup
C) File Server Resource Manager
D) IPAM

Answer:  A) Azure Monitor

Explanation:

Azure Monitor offers centralized, cloud-hosted performance monitoring for hybrid Windows Server deployments. It collects and analyzes telemetry from both on-premises and cloud systems to provide detailed insights into performance, availability, and security conditions. It enables custom alerting, dashboards, log analytics, and powerful visualization features to ensure IT teams can detect issues before they escalate. Azure Monitor integrates with Azure Arc to track servers regardless of location and supports advanced analytics capabilities to evaluate long-term trends. It strengthens service reliability by automating responses, informing capacity planning, and supporting service-level objectives across globally distributed environments.

Windows Server Backup provides local backup and restore capabilities for on-prem servers. While important for data protection and disaster recovery, it does not gather performance metrics or monitor Azure services. It cannot consolidate hybrid operational telemetry or provide centralized alerting, making it unsuitable for continuous monitoring roles.

File Server Resource Manager controls and analyzes disk usage on Windows file servers. It includes quota enforcement, file screening, and storage reporting. These functionalities assist storage management but are narrow in scope. It cannot observe CPU, memory, network utilization, or hybrid application performance. It does not extend to Azure, and, therefore, we cannot provide organization-wide monitoring insights.

IPAM manages IP address spaces, including DHCP and DNS configuration across enterprise networks. It helps administrators track address usage, manage scopes, and maintain name resolution consistency. Despite being valuable for network control, it has no ability to capture server health metrics, generate operational alerts, or monitor hybrid workloads. Its domain is network addressing, not performance supervision.

Azure Monitor is the correct selection because it enables complete visibility over the hybrid infrastructure, combining cloud intelligence with on-prem resources to maintain operational excellence. It supports data-driven decision-making, automates remediation, and enhances availability for mission-critical services wherever they run.

Question 24

You must ensure that only specific users can elevate privileges on selected Windows Servers while maintaining centralized auditing and time-limited privilege access. Which feature should be implemented?

A) Just-In-Time Privilege Access with Privileged Access Management
B) Credential Guard
C) NTFS Permissions
D) DNSSEC

Answer:  A) Just-In-Time Privilege Access with Privileged Access Management

Explanation:

Just-In-Time Privilege Access with Privileged Access Management in Windows Server enables tightly controlled, short-duration privileged access that is centrally audited and authorized. It reduces risk by removing standing administrative rights, instead issuing time-bound permissions only when necessary and only to approved users. This approach limits the attack surface and protects domain controllers and sensitive systems against credential theft. The feature requires approval workflows and logs all events for compliance and security analysis. It aligns with modern zero-trust security strategies and hybrid environments where security must remain consistent across cloud and on-prem resources. It prevents unauthorized privilege escalation and helps enforce least-privilege principles across critical workloads.

Credential Guard focuses on protecting authentication secrets in memory using virtualization-based security. It prevents credential theft methods such as pass-the-hash, but does not control when users can become administrators. It protects stored credentials but lacks time-limited privilege delegation, request workflows, or centralized approval features required for privilege access governance.

NTFS Permissions control access to files and folders on local disks or shared storage. They are essential for data security but have no integration with elevated administrative roles or temporary access enforcement. They cannot manage domain-wide administrative rights nor protect highly privileged access since they are applied only to file system objects.

DNSSEC secures DNS queries by preventing spoofing and ensuring records are valid and authenticated. It enhances security within name resolution services but is unrelated to privileged access control. It does not manage user permissions, administrative elevation, or auditing mechanisms.

Just-In-Time Privilege Access with Privileged Access Management is correct because it directly addresses the need to secure, approve, limit, and track privileged actions in hybrid Windows Server operations. It enhances the protection of sensitive infrastructure and enforces granular administrative control supported by comprehensive auditing.

Question 25

You need to restrict administrative access on domain-joined Windows Servers so sign-ins require multi-factor authentication when connecting remotely. Which solution should be implemented?

A) Azure AD Conditional Access with Azure AD Joined Server Hybrid Integration
B) Local Security Policy Audit Logging
C) Group Policy Loopback Processing
D) SMB Encryption

Answer:  A) Azure AD Conditional Access with Azure AD Joined Server Hybrid Integration

Explanation:

Azure AD Conditional Access with hybrid integration provides the ability to enforce multi-factor authentication policies when administrators remotely sign in to critical Windows Server resources. It enables organizations to extend identity-based security policies to servers running on-premises or in cloud-connected environments. When servers are Azure AD joined or hybrid joined, Conditional Access policies can evaluate factors such as device compliance, user role, sign-in location, and authentication strength. This ensures remote administrative sessions require additional verification and prevents unauthorized access even if credentials are compromised. It supports modern authentication and enhances the protection of privileged access paths, an essential requirement in zero-trust hybrid operations.

Local Security Policy Audit Logging allows administrators to record events for authentication, authorization, and security modifications on servers. While valuable for tracking activity and monitoring potential malicious behavior, it does not enforce multi-factor authentication or restrict remote sign-in behavior. Logging alone cannot prevent threats; it only provides auditability after authentication has already occurred.

Group Policy Loopback Processing applies user configuration settings based on the computer a user logs into. It is very helpful in scenarios such as kiosk-style configurations where user environments must adapt to the workstation location. However, it does not support authentication controls like multi-factor enforcement, nor is it designed to block unauthorized administrative sign-in. It influences configuration experience, not authentication policies.

SMB Encryption protects file share traffic against interception and tampering when data moves over a network. While essential for securing data at rest and in transit, it does not interact with authentication workflows. It cannot challenge users for additional security factors or restrict logon attempts based on risk conditions because its scope is only related to file sharing protocol encryption.

Thus, Azure AD Conditional Access, combined with hybrid identity, ty is the correct solution. It integrates cloud intelligence with on-premises security requirements, enabling fine-grained access control decisions. By requiring multi-factor authentication for remote privileged access, administrators ensure attackers cannot exploit stolen or guessed passwords. It delivers adaptive protection, aligns with compliance mandates, and builds a resilient defense against evolving hybrid environment threats.

Question 26

You must deploy a Windows Server Failover Cluster for application high availability in a branch office that has limited hardware. You need to avoid reliance on shared storage while maintaining redundancy. What should you use?

A) Storage Spaces Direct
B) Multipath I/O
C) DFS Namespace
D) WINS Server

Answer:  A) Storage Spaces Direct

Explanation:

Storage Spaces Direct allows Windows Server Failover Clusters to operate without relying on traditional SAN shared storage. It aggregates locally attached disks from multiple servers into a single software-defined storage pool. This creates high-availability storage for running clustered virtual machines or applications in environments where hardware must remain simple and cost-efficient. Storage Spaces Direct eliminates the need for expensive Fibre Channel arrays or dedicated shared storage networking equipment. It supports automatic data resiliency, high-performance caching, and scalability for hybrid workloads. It is specifically designed to support failover workloads such as Hyper-V clusters in remote or branch offices.

Multipath I/O enhances performance and reliability for servers accessing SAN-based storage by providing redundant paths to a storage target. It ensures connectivity even if a path fails. However, it is dependent on traditional shared storage architecture. It cannot enable clusters with only local disks and therefore does not fit environments that require eliminating dependency on SANs.

DFS Namespace provides a unified folder structure across multiple file servers to improve access convenience. It does not supply synchronous data replication or application failover support. It focuses on distributed file access rather than ensuring highly available compute workloads. Applications cannot automatically failover using DFS Namespace, so service continuity is not maintained if a server goes offline.

WINS Server is a legacy name resolution service used in older networks to map NetBIOS names to IP addresses. It has no role in clustering, data redundancy, or high availability. As organizations transition toward Active Directory DNS-based name resolution, WINS is considered outdated and irrelevant for modern failover requirements.

Storage Spaces Direct is therefore the correct selection because it supports full failover clustering with local storage redundancy and no dependency on external shared storage infrastructure. It keeps applications operational even during hardware failures and supports hybrid management using Windows Admin Center and Azure Monitor, making it ideal for constrained branch office deployments.

Question 27

You must protect sensitive data stored on Windows Server virtual machines running in Azure while ensuring encryption keys remain controlled within your organization’s on-premises infrastructure. Which solution should be deployed?

A) Azure Disk Encryption with Customer-Managed Keys in Azure Key Vault
B) BitLocker To Go
C) SMB Signing
D) NTLM Authentication

Answer:  A) Azure Disk Encryption with Customer-Managed Keys in Azure Key Vault

Explanation:

Azure Disk Encryption with customer-managed keys provides full encryption of virtual machine disks while ensuring the organization retains complete control of cryptographic keys. Encryption keys are stored in Azure Key Vault, but can be configured with hybrid identity control and Hardware Security Module-backed storage. This enables organizations to maintain compliance and sovereignty over security policies while hosting workloads in the cloud. Disk encryption protects data at rest, mitigates the consequences of unauthorized access, and prevents data exposure should disks be copied or misused. Customer-managed keys allow the business to enforce rotation schedules, revoke access, and ensure that only trusted systems can decrypt protected volumes.

BitLocker To Go is designed to encrypt removable storage devices such as USB flash drives. It protects portable media when distributed outside secure facilities, but does not support encrypting Azure virtual machine disks. Its scope does not include server disks running inside cloud infrastructure and cannot offer hybrid-integrated cryptographic control.

SMB Signing protects file share communication integrity by confirming that packets come from legitimate senders. While important for preventing tampering during data transmission, it does not encrypt data at rest or protect disk content. It focuses purely on network security rather than storage encryption or cryptographic key governance.

NTLM Authentication is an older protocol used for validating identity in Windows environments. It does not provide encryption of storage or access control over encryption keys. It has known security limitations and is increasingly restricted in modern hybrid security design. It cannot prevent data exposure if attackers gain direct access to virtual disk storage.

Azure Disk Encryption with customer-managed keys is correct because it secures data stored in Azure Windows Server virtual machines while still honoring enterprise control requirements over cryptographic material. It combines cloud-based protection with strict governance aligned to regulatory and business needs, making it the best fit for sensitive workloads in hybrid infrastructures.

Question 28

You need to provide Linux-based workloads running on-premises the ability to authenticate using Azure Active Directory while still maintaining centralized identity governance across hybrid infrastructure. Which solution should you implement?

A) Azure Active Directory Domain Services
B) LDAP over SSL
C) Local SAM Authentication
D) NPS with RADIUS

Answer:  A) Azure Active Directory Domain Services

Explanation:

Azure Active Directory Domain Services enables domain-join and authentication capabilities for workloads that need integration with cloud-based identity while operating without locally deployed domain controllers. It supports Kerberos and NTLM for traditional applications, including Linux systems using protocols like LDAP or Kerberos to authenticate users. This allows hybrid environments to maintain a consistent identity model while shifting directory services from on-premise to cloud-managed operations. Because Azure AD DS automatically synchronizes identity information from Azure AD, users maintain the same credentials across resources regardless of platform location. This simplifies administration, reduces the burden of managing on-prem domain controller infrastructure, and ensures compliance-aligned governance with centralized control.

LDAP over SSL is mainly used for securing LDAP directory queries on local Active Directory environments. Even though Linux systems can authenticate via LDAP, using LDAP over SSL still requires fully operational on-prem domain controllers and does not extend Azure AD capabilities directly into Linux authentication. This solution maintains dependencies on local servers and does not provide cloud-based provisioning or delegated identity services that Azure AD DS enables. It addresses secure access to directory information, but does not assist hybrid operational expansion.

Local SAM Authentication applies only to local user accounts stored on individual machines. This method does not work for centralized identity governance and cannot support hybrid access or policy enforcement. Local accounts increase security risk, lack scalable administration mechanisms, and fail to provide single sign-on, group policy governance, or identity synchronization with cloud apps.

NPS with RADIUS enables network authentication for services such as VPN and Wi-Fi access. While Linux can use RADIUS, this protocol cannot provide domain join capability or cloud-based identity synchronization. It focuses solely on granting connectivity access rather than enabling reliable authentication for servers and workloads within hybrid infrastructures. It does not unify identity access and therefore lacks the required capability.

Azure Active Directory Domain Services is the correct solution because it allows Linux and legacy applications to authenticate using managed cloud-based domain capabilities without relying on local domain controllers. It supports hybrid modernization pathways, delivering identity consistency across workloads regardless of where they run, while reducing management overhead and extending secure governance to heterogeneous systems.

Question 29

You are deploying a hybrid Windows Server infrastructure and require secure remote PowerShell management over the internet for servers hosted in Azure. You must ensure authentication remains protected and encryption is enforced. What should you use?

A) PowerShell Remoting over HTTPS
B) Telnet Access
C) FTP with Anonymous Authentication
D) SNMP v1

Answer:  A) PowerShell Remoting over HTTPS

Explanation:

PowerShell Remoting over HTTPS is the best method for secure remote administration of Windows Server systems across public and hybrid networks. It uses WinRM configured with TLS encryption to protect communication between clients and servers, ensuring that commands and credential material stay secure. This method supports multifactor authentication and can integrate with Azure AD identity governance to maintain strict authorization controls. Administrators gain full remote command-line management with confidence that sessions are shielded from interception and tampering. It is well-suited for cloud-hosted servers where external connectivity requires robust security measures. Providing encrypted channels prevents exposure of sensitive operations and supports compliance for regulated environments.

Telnet Access transmits all data, including credentials, in clear text with zero encryption protection. It is outdated and unsafe for administrative use, especially across the internet. Telnet has no support for modern authentication methods and exposes systems to a high risk of credential theft and session hijacking. It completely fails to satisfy hybrid security posture requirements.

FTP with Anonymous Authentication is a very basic method of allowing users to access and transfer files from a server without requiring credentials. When anonymous authentication is enabled, anyone can connect by simply using a generic username such as “anonymous,” often without providing a password or by entering a placeholder address. This design makes FTP easy to use for public file distribution, but it introduces significant security risks because there is no verification of user identity or control over who can access the shared content. Since the FTP protocol operates without built-in encryption, all data, including any credentials that may be used, is transmitted in plain text over the network. This means that attackers can intercept and read the information using common network monitoring tools, gaining access to files or acquiring details about the server and network structure.

In addition to lacking secure authentication, FTP does not provide encryption for files in transit, making it unsuitable for confidential data or secure environments. Sensitive information transferred over FTP can easily be exposed to unauthorized users, which is why modern secure alternatives like SFTP or FTPS are recommended for critical data transfer. Another limitation is that FTP does not offer administrative command functionality. It cannot be used to perform remote management tasks such as configuring system settings, managing services, or handling privileged actions on the server. Its purpose is strictly for file transfer, and it does not support the authentication of privileged or administrative identities that would be required for secure remote management operations.

Furthermore, FTP servers often reveal internal directory structures, metadata, and sometimes system information to anyone who logs in anonymously. This exposure can provide potential attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that helps them plan further exploitation attempts. Without proper safeguards, anonymous users may even be able to upload files, including malicious content, leading to the compromise of the server or internal network. In modern cybersecurity practices, allowing anonymous FTP access is typically discouraged due to the lack of security controls, exposure of data, and inability to restrict or track user activity effectively.

FTP with Anonymous Authentication offers convenience for public, non-sensitive file sharing, but it poses major security vulnerabilities. It does not encrypt data, cannot verify user identity, and provides no support for secure administrative responsibilities, making it inappropriate for environments where integrity, confidentiality, and secure access control are required.

SNMP v1 is used for network device monitoring rather than interactive server administration. The v1 version has extremely weak security and transmits community strings openly. It neither encrypts data nor validates identity sufficiently for command execution. It cannot manage Windows Servers remotely through command shells or provide the robust administrative operations required in hybrid infrastructures.

Thus, PowerShell Remoting over HTTPS is the correct and secure solution. It ensures encrypted management of Azure-based servers, supports advanced authentication policies, and provides all necessary operational control while adhering to strict hybrid environment security standards.

Question 30

You must implement a hybrid file access model where only frequently accessed data remains on-premises while older data automatically moves to the cloud. Users must retain seamless access to all files without knowing where the data physically resides. Which technology should be configured?

A) Azure File Sync Cloud Tiering
B) Microsoft Distributed File System Replication
C) Hyper-V Storage Migration
D) Server Message Block Multichannel

Answer:  A) Azure File Sync Cloud Tiering

Explanation:

Azure File Sync Cloud Tiering is designed to optimize on-premises file server storage by automatically tiering files based on usage patterns. Frequently accessed files remain local, ensuring quick access and low latency for users. Files not used recently are offloaded to Azure Files while lightweight pointers remain on the local server, giving users a seamless experience through standard file paths. Cloud Tiering helps organizations reduce storage costs while still preserving familiar access workflows. It supports versioning, centralized management, multi-site synchronization, and disaster recovery capabilities with Azure as the authoritative data store. Users do not need to understand physical storage locations because the technology handles data movement transparently.

Microsoft Distributed File System Replication (DFSR) is a feature included in Windows Server that provides robust replication of files between multiple servers, helping ensure availability and data consistency across distributed environments. Its primary function is to synchronize shared folders, so if one server becomes unavailable due to maintenance or failure, users can still access the replicated data from another server in the replication group. This makes DFSR especially useful for branch offices where maintaining local access to files improves performance and productivity. The technology uses a multi-master replication model with remote differential compression to reduce bandwidth usage by only transferring file changes instead of entire files. However, despite these strengths, DFSR does not provide advanced storage optimization features. It does not automatically identify unused or infrequently accessed data for relocation to cheaper or external storage tiers, nor does it perform lifecycle management functions that some modern storage systems support. Data replication through DFSR results in multiple copies of the same information being stored across servers, which can increase storage consumption rather than reduce it. In hybrid cloud environments, this duplication may create additional costs and complexity without providing cloud-native benefits such as elasticity or on-demand expansion. DFSR also does not function as a cloud storage solution and cannot offload data storage to cloud services in an automated way, meaning it does not help reduce pressure on on-premises storage hardware. Its purpose remains focused on ensuring files are available locally in multiple locations rather than optimizing how storage resources are used. If intelligent tiering, deduplication, or archival storage are required, organizations must rely on additional technologies such as Azure File Sync, cloud-based storage gateways, or enterprise storage systems that are specifically designed for data lifecycle and tier management. DFSR enhances data availability and resilience by replicating shared files across multiple servers, but it does not provide modern storage optimization, automatic data tiering, or cloud efficiency benefits. Its value lies in maintaining access to important data in distributed environments rather than acting as a tool for reducing storage footprint or improving hybrid cloud efficiency.

Hyper-V Storage Migration transfers storage assigned to running virtual machines between disks or hosts. It maintains workload availability during migration but does not control file server storage or automatically offload aging data. It focuses entirely on VM infrastructure rather than user file data placement across hybrid clouds.

Server Message Block Multichannel enhances performance using multiple network interfaces to speed up SMB traffic and provide network redundancy. Although it may improve file access speed, it does not modify where data resides or assist with cloud-based storage tiering or lifecycle management of files.

Azure File Sync Cloud Tiering, therefore, is the correct solution because it ensures seamless hybrid file access, reduces local storage costs, preserves standard user workflows, and supports long-term data retention strategies within Microsoft cloud platforms.