How to Prevent SMB Direct Connections in Windows Server?

AZ-800 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

A Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature

Question

You have a server that runs Windows Server. You need to prevent the creation of SMB Direct connections. Which cmdlet should you run?
  1. Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature Correct Answer
  2. Remove-WindowsFeature
  3. Set-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty
  4. Disable-NetAdapterBinding

Key Takeaways

This question tests your understanding of Windows Server feature management architecture, trapping candidates who confuse optional feature toggles with standard role removal or NIC binding configurations.

Disabling SMB Direct in Windows Server requires managing its status as an optional OS feature rather than a network binding or server role. The community unanimously confirms that the Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature cmdlet is the precise tool for this operation.

Common mistake: Candidates frequently choose Disable-NetAdapterBinding because it intuitively sounds like it would stop network protocols, but it only manages legacy or standard adapter bindings and cannot control the SMB Direct optional feature.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

SMB Direct is deployed as a Windows Optional Feature, meaning its lifecycle is managed through the Windows Optional Features API rather than traditional role installation. Running Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMBDirect cleanly deactivates the underlying RDMA-based networking stack without removing other components. This approach aligns with Microsoft's modern Windows Server configuration model.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Remove-WindowsFeature permanently uninstalls roles or features, which is destructive and unnecessary for simply disabling SMB Direct. Set-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty modifies hardware or driver-level NIC settings but does not interact with the OS-level SMB protocol stack. Disable-NetAdapterBinding targets specific network adapter bindings like QoS or IPv6, but SMB Direct bypasses this mechanism by operating as a standalone optional feature.

Community Comment Notes

The discussion overwhelmingly supports option A, with multiple users providing the exact PowerShell syntax required for implementation. Comments [4] and [5] directly reference the official Microsoft Learn documentation, confirming the -FeatureName SMBDirect parameter. The 100% vote distribution demonstrates strong community alignment on this specific cmdlet usage.

Official Reference

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/smb-direct?tabs=disable

This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Always verify whether a Windows Server component is classified as a Role, a Feature, or an Optional Feature before selecting a management cmdlet. Use Get-WindowsOptionalFeature to quickly identify the exact naming convention required for targeted enable or disable operations.

Community Votes

A
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 5 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 5

  1. Opoveda 👍 1 Answered A
    Disabling and enabling SMB Direct features The SMB client automatically detects and uses multiple network connections if an appropriate configuration is identified. As SMB Direct is enabled by default, once disabled, it needs to be manually re-enabled whenever needed. Disable Enable Typically, you don't need to disable SMB Direct, however, you can disable it along with its features, by running the following Windows PowerShell commands. To disable SMB Direct, type: PowerShell Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMBDirect
  2. Eusouzati 👍 1
    A - Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMBDirect https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/smb-direct?tabs=disable
  3. will_src 👍 1
    A https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/smb-direct?tabs=disable
  4. Ksk08 👍 1
    A: Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMBDirect
  5. Krayzr 👍 1 Answered A
    A. Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature

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