Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company runs a SQL Server database on an Azure virtual machine. They need to increase the storage capacity and improve I/O performance for their transaction log. The current data disk is a standard HDD. They want to achieve higher IOPS and throughput without increasing the size of the VM (the VM size supports up to 8 data disks). The database workload is write-intensive on the transaction log. Which configuration should they implement?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Add additional standard HDD disks and configure a storage pool with simple (striping) layout
Standard HDDs have low IOPS and throughput even when striped, and unlikely to meet performance needs for a write-intensive log.
B
Best answer
Replace the standard HDD disk with a premium SSD disk for the log drive
Premium SSDs offer significantly higher IOPS and throughput, directly improving log write performance.
C
Distractor review
Add a premium SSD disk and configure a storage space with mirroring for the log drive
Mirroring reduces usable capacity and write performance is not as high as a single disk for log (which is sequential). A single premium SSD is simpler and more cost-effective.
D
Distractor review
Use Azure Disk Encryption to improve performance
Azure Disk Encryption encrypts the disk but does not improve I/O performance; it may add slight overhead.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A company is designing hub-and-spoke networking. Spoke VNets must use a central Azure Firewall for outbound internet traffic. Which two configurations are required?
Question 2
A company is designing private access to a PaaS database from workloads in a VNet. The database should not be reachable over its public endpoint. What should be recommended?
Question 3
A data platform must support analytical queries over petabytes of files in a data lake, while preserving hierarchical namespaces and fine-grained ACLs. Which storage service should you design around?
Question 4
A database workload has an RPO of 15 minutes and an RTO of 4 hours. Cost is more important than near-zero data loss. Which design is usually more appropriate than synchronous multi-region replication?
Question 5
A hub-and-spoke Azure network must centralize outbound inspection and still allow spokes to resolve private endpoint DNS names. Which two components are commonly required? (Choose 2.)
Question 6
A multinational company uses Microsoft Entra ID and several Azure subscriptions. Security administrators need to review privileged role assignments every month and require justification for continued access. Which design should be recommended?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Replace the standard HDD disk with a premium SSD disk for the log drive — For transaction log performance, using a premium SSD disk provides higher IOPS and throughput compared to standard HDD. A single premium SSD for the log is simpler and effective. Striping standard HDDs may increase capacity but not match premium SSD performance. Disk encryption adds overhead, not performance.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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