Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company runs several Azure virtual machines (VMs) that host SQL Server databases. The databases are stored on data disks attached to the VMs. The company needs to back up the databases and VMs separately. They require application-consistent backups for SQL Server to ensure transactional integrity. Additionally, they need to retain backups for up to 7 years to meet compliance requirements. The solution must minimize administrative overhead and support long-term retention of database backups. Which Azure service or feature should they use for the database backups?
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
Azure Backup for Azure VMs with application-consistent snapshots
This provides VM-level consistent backups, not SQL-application-consistent backups, and has limited support for granular database restore and long-term retention of individual databases.
B
Best answer
Azure Backup for SQL Server in Azure VMs
This offers true application-consistent backups for SQL Server databases, supports granular point-in-time restore, and allows retention of backups for up to 10 years using the archive tier, meeting the 7-year requirement.
C
Distractor review
Azure Site Recovery
Azure Site Recovery is designed for disaster recovery replication, not for long-term backup retention. It does not provide the required backup lifecycle management or long-term retention capabilities.
D
Distractor review
Azure Files
Azure Files is a fully managed file share service and does not offer backup capabilities for SQL Server databases. It is not a suitable solution for database backups.
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: Azure Backup for SQL Server in Azure VMs — Azure Backup offers a dedicated solution for SQL Server running in Azure VMs. This solution provides application-consistent backups at the database level, supports long-term retention (up to 10 years using the archive tier), and is fully managed. Azure Backup for VMs provides VM-level consistent snapshots but not SQL-application-consistent backups. Azure Site Recovery is for replication and disaster recovery, not for long-term backup retention. Azure Files is a file share service and not suitable for SQL database backup.
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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