Branch offices need a local-cached copy of a central Azure file share on their Windows file servers, keeping frequently used files local and tiering cold files to the cloud. Which service does this?
A.Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle policies
Blob lifecycle moves data between tiers — doesn't provide local file-server caching.
B.Azure File Sync with cloud tiering
File Sync + cloud tiering = the exact feature described. Correct.
C.Azure Data Box
Data Box is offline transfer, not ongoing sync.
D.AzCopy scheduled jobs
AzCopy is point-in-time copy, not bidirectional tiering sync.
Why this answer
Azure File Sync transforms Windows Servers into caches of an Azure file share — cloud tiering keeps hot files local and replaces cold files with pointers that recall on demand. The classic 'extend on-prem file server into Azure' service.
Correct answer: B · Last reviewed 2026-02-14
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