What is the recommended design to ensure uninterrupted SMB and NFS access across multiple nodes?

• A. A single multi-protocol NAS LIF that supports automatic failover
• B. Separate LIFs per protocol with manual migration enabled
• C. A SAN LIF with IP-based addressing
• D. VLAN tagging with multiple LIFs per node

Answer: (A)

High-availability NAS access for SMB and NFS is achieved by using a single multi-protocol NAS LIF that supports automatic failover. This design provides one consistent access point for both protocols, and if a node fails, the LIF automatically relocates to a healthy node so clients don’t experience downtime or need manual intervention. Splitting LIFs by protocol would force manual migration during failover, leading to disruption. A SAN LIF is meant for block storage, not NAS protocols like SMB and NFS. VLAN tagging with multiple LIFs per node adds complexity and doesn’t inherently guarantee uninterrupted access unless those LIFs are also configured with automatic failover, making the single multi-protocol LIF with auto-failover the most reliable approach.