Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-304) Practice Test

To enhance network performance on Azure virtual machines while keeping the costs low and the memory ratio consistent, which option is advisable?

1. Enable Accelerated Networking

2. Configure NIC teaming

3. Install an additional network adapter

4. Enable RDMA over IP

The correct answer is: Enable Accelerated Networking

Enabling Accelerated Networking for Azure virtual machines significantly improves network performance by reducing latency, increasing throughput, and enhancing packet per second (PPS) handling. This functionality leverages single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV) to bypass the virtual switch and connect the VM directly to the physical network interface card (NIC). Because it operates at a lower level in the network stack, data can be transmitted more efficiently, leading to better performance without the complexities and additional costs associated with other options. This option also aligns with the goal of maintaining consistent memory utilization across the virtual machines, as it optimizes throughput and efficiency without requiring additional resources that might otherwise complicate memory management or inflate costs. In contrast, other choices, such as configuring NIC teaming or installing additional network adapters, might lead to increased complexity and cost without delivering the same level of performance boost. Enabling RDMA over IP is typically limited to specific use cases that may not be universally applicable or cost-effective for all workloads. Thus, Accelerated Networking presents the most balanced approach for enhancing network performance while keeping costs low and maintaining a steady memory utilization ratio.