AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Exam

Implement and Validate SMB Direct Configuration

Overview

Server Message Block (SMB) Direct uses Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) networks to deliver high-performance and low-latency file transfers. This technology bypasses parts of the traditional network stack, reducing CPU usage on both clients and servers. It is especially useful in Azure environments where quick access to data can improve application responsiveness. By leveraging RDMA, SMB Direct ensures that large files and data streams move swiftly without burdening the system.

Key Components

Configuring SMB Direct depends on three main components in your network setup. You must also make sure that Azure resources are properly aligned for optimal performance. The key items are:

• RDMA-capable Network Adapters: Hardware that supports Remote Direct Memory Access.
• SMB Multichannel: Allows multiple network connections in a single SMB session.
• Azure Region Placement: Ensure storage and compute resources are in the same region.

These components work together to enable low-latency, high-throughput file transfers.

Performance Optimization

To get the best results with SMB Direct, focus on these optimization steps:

• Region Alignment: Place both clients and storage in the same Azure region to minimize latency.
• Multi-threaded Clients: Use applications that can open multiple data streams at once.
• Provisioned Share Size: Adjust the SSD share size to match expected IOPS and throughput.

Following these guidelines helps you maximize data transfer rates while keeping performance consistent.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Regular monitoring ensures that SMB Direct stays reliable and fast. Use these tools to track health and performance:

• PowerShell: Run Get-SmbClientConfiguration to view active connections and settings.
• Performance Monitor: Check counters for throughput, latency, and CPU usage.
• Driver Diagnostics: Verify that network adapter drivers and firmware support RDMA.

Consistent checks help you identify issues early and resolve connection problems before they impact operations.

Best Practices

Always enable SMB Direct on RDMA-capable adapters and configure SMB Multichannel to use all available network paths. Keep all drivers and firmware up to date to avoid compatibility issues. Schedule regular reviews with PowerShell and Performance Monitor to confirm that latency and throughput stay within acceptable ranges. By following these steps, you maintain a secure, efficient, and high-speed file transfer setup in your Azure infrastructure.

Conclusion

In this section, you learned how to implement and validate SMB Direct in Azure by enabling RDMA on network adapters and configuring SMB Multichannel. You explored performance optimization techniques such as region alignment, multi-threaded clients, and share sizing. You also reviewed monitoring and troubleshooting strategies with PowerShell, Performance Monitor, and driver checks. Finally, you covered best practices that keep your file transfers both fast and reliable. Mastering these concepts helps ensure that your Azure servers deliver consistent, low-latency access to critical data.