The answer is Azure Blob Storage with an immutable storage policy and Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management. Azure Blob Storage’s time-based retention policy enforces write-once-read-many (WORM) compliance, ensuring sensitive financial records cannot be modified or deleted during the 7-year retention period, while lifecycle management rules automatically delete blobs after that period expires, minimizing storage costs by avoiding manual cleanup. On the AZ-305 exam, this pairing tests your ability to combine data protection and cost optimization for regulated workloads—a common scenario where candidates mistakenly choose Azure Files or NetApp Files, which lack native immutability and automated tiering. The key trap is assuming any storage service with versioning suffices; immutability requires explicit policy enforcement. Memory tip: think “WORM then WIPE”—immutable retention locks data, then lifecycle management wipes it on schedule.
AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design data storage solutions. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is designing a solution for storing sensitive financial records that must be retained for 7 years. The solution must meet the following requirements: - Data must be immutable during the retention period. - After the retention period, data must be automatically deleted. - The solution must minimize storage costs. Which two Azure services should the company use? (Choose two.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management
Option A is correct because Azure Blob Storage provides immutable storage with time-based retention policies. Option C is correct because Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management can automatically delete blobs after a specified period. Option B is wrong because Azure Files does not support immutable storage natively. Option D is wrong because Azure NetApp Files does not have built-in immutability or lifecycle management. Option E is wrong because Azure Purview is a data governance service, not for storage.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Microsoft Purview Data Map
Why it's wrong here
Purview is a governance tool, not a storage service.
✓
Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management
Why this is correct
Lifecycle management can delete blobs after a defined period.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Azure NetApp Files with replication
Why it's wrong here
NetApp Files does not have built-in immutable storage or lifecycle management.
✓
Azure Blob Storage with immutable storage policy
Why this is correct
Immutability ensures data cannot be modified or deleted during retention.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Azure Files with snapshots
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are not immutable and can be deleted.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-305 question in full detail.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related AZ-305 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Design data storage solutions — This question tests Design data storage solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management — Option A is correct because Azure Blob Storage provides immutable storage with time-based retention policies. Option C is correct because Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management can automatically delete blobs after a specified period. Option B is wrong because Azure Files does not support immutable storage natively. Option D is wrong because Azure NetApp Files does not have built-in immutability or lifecycle management. Option E is wrong because Azure Purview is a data governance service, not for storage.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related AZ-305 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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