This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design infrastructure 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 plans to migrate on-premises SQL Server databases to Azure. They need to minimize changes to existing applications and want to use the latest features of SQL Server. Which Azure data service should they use?
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.
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
Why wrong: IaaS requires management and patching.
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Managed Instance offers high compatibility with on-premises SQL Server and latest features.
Azure SQL Database
Why wrong: SQL Database is a PaaS service but may require application changes.
Azure Cosmos DB
Why wrong: Cosmos DB is NoSQL, not SQL Server compatible.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Option A is correct because Azure SQL Managed Instance provides near 100% compatibility with SQL Server, minimizing application changes, and supports the latest SQL Server features. Option B is wrong because Azure SQL Database requires application changes for database-level compatibility. Option C is wrong because SQL Server on Azure VMs requires management of OS and SQL Server. Option D is wrong because Azure Cosmos DB is NoSQL, not compatible with SQL Server.
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
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
Why it's wrong here
IaaS requires management and patching.
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Why this is correct
Managed Instance offers high compatibility with on-premises SQL Server and latest features.
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 SQL Database
Why it's wrong here
SQL Database is a PaaS service but may require application changes.
Azure Cosmos DB
Why it's wrong here
Cosmos DB is NoSQL, not SQL Server compatible.
Common exam traps
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
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.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
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.
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FAQ
Design infrastructure solutions — This question tests Design infrastructure solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: Azure SQL Managed Instance — Option A is correct because Azure SQL Managed Instance provides near 100% compatibility with SQL Server, minimizing application changes, and supports the latest SQL Server features. Option B is wrong because Azure SQL Database requires application changes for database-level compatibility. Option C is wrong because SQL Server on Azure VMs requires management of OS and SQL Server. Option D is wrong because Azure Cosmos DB is NoSQL, not compatible with SQL Server.
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.
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.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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