- A
SQL API with multi-region writes, last-writer-wins conflict resolution, and per-request strong consistency
SQL API supports multi-master writes, customizable conflict resolution, and the ability to set strong consistency on a per-request basis.
- B
MongoDB API with multi-region writes and automatic conflict resolution
Why wrong: The MongoDB API does not support strong consistency across regions; it is limited to eventual consistency when using multi-region writes.
- C
Table API with multi-region writes and strong consistency
Why wrong: The Table API does not support strong consistency in a multi-region write scenario; it is eventually consistent.
- D
Cassandra API with multi-region writes and strong consistency
Why wrong: The Cassandra API in Cosmos DB does not support strong consistency; it is eventually consistent with configurable consistency levels.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is the SQL API with multi-region writes, last-writer-wins conflict resolution, and per-request strong consistency. This configuration satisfies all requirements because Cosmos DB’s SQL API natively supports multi-region writes, and last-writer-wins (LWW) automatically resolves concurrent updates by using a timestamp or custom property, ensuring no data loss during simultaneous edits. Per-request strong consistency allows inventory reads to achieve linearizability at the request level, while product description reads can use eventual consistency for better performance and lower latency. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to mix consistency levels in a globally distributed database—a common trap is assuming you must choose a single account-level consistency, but Cosmos DB lets you override it per request. Remember the memory tip: “LWW for writes, per-request for reads” to quickly recall that conflict resolution handles writes automatically, while consistency is flexible per operation.
AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design data storage solutions. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 global e-commerce platform uses Azure Cosmos DB for its product catalog. The application requires multi-region writes to provide low-latency updates from any geographic location. Two users may update the same product item concurrently, so the solution must automatically resolve conflicts. For real-time inventory checks, reads must be strongly consistent, while product description reads can be eventually consistent. Which Cosmos DB configuration should they choose?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
SQL API with multi-region writes, last-writer-wins conflict resolution, and per-request strong consistency
Option A is correct because the SQL API in Cosmos DB supports multi-region writes with last-writer-wins (LWW) conflict resolution using a timestamp or custom property, which automatically resolves concurrent updates to the same product item. Per-request strong consistency allows inventory reads to achieve linearizability by setting the consistency level at the request level, while product description reads can use the default session or eventual consistency for performance. This combination meets all requirements: multi-region writes, automatic conflict resolution, and the ability to mix strong and eventual consistency on a per-request basis.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
SQL API with multi-region writes, last-writer-wins conflict resolution, and per-request strong consistency
Why this is correct
SQL API supports multi-master writes, customizable conflict resolution, and the ability to set strong consistency on a per-request basis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
MongoDB API with multi-region writes and automatic conflict resolution
Why it's wrong here
The MongoDB API does not support strong consistency across regions; it is limited to eventual consistency when using multi-region writes.
- ✗
Table API with multi-region writes and strong consistency
Why it's wrong here
The Table API does not support strong consistency in a multi-region write scenario; it is eventually consistent.
- ✗
Cassandra API with multi-region writes and strong consistency
Why it's wrong here
The Cassandra API in Cosmos DB does not support strong consistency; it is eventually consistent with configurable consistency levels.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume all Cosmos DB APIs support multi-region writes and per-request strong consistency equally, but only the SQL API (and the Table API with specific limitations) offers the full flexibility to mix consistency levels per request, while the MongoDB, Cassandra, and Table APIs have fixed account-level consistency or lack multi-region write support entirely.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
The Table API does not support strong consistency in a multi-region write scenario; it is eventually consistent.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cosmos DB's multi-region writes use a conflict-resolution policy (e.g., LWW) that relies on a _ts timestamp or a user-defined custom property; when two writes conflict, the system automatically selects the winner based on the policy. Per-request strong consistency is achieved by setting the x-ms-consistency-level header to 'Strong' for specific reads, which forces the read to contact the primary replica and return the latest committed write, ensuring linearizability. In a real-world scenario, inventory checks must be strongly consistent to prevent overselling, while product descriptions can tolerate eventual consistency to reduce latency and RU consumption.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
Design data storage solutions — This question tests Design data storage solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: SQL API with multi-region writes, last-writer-wins conflict resolution, and per-request strong consistency — Option A is correct because the SQL API in Cosmos DB supports multi-region writes with last-writer-wins (LWW) conflict resolution using a timestamp or custom property, which automatically resolves concurrent updates to the same product item. Per-request strong consistency allows inventory reads to achieve linearizability by setting the consistency level at the request level, while product description reads can use the default session or eventual consistency for performance. This combination meets all requirements: multi-region writes, automatic conflict resolution, and the ability to mix strong and eventual consistency on a per-request basis.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on AZ-305
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A global e-commerce company uses Azure Cosmos DB for its product catalog. The write-heavy workload experiences high latency during peak hours. Which design change would most reduce write latency?
medium- A.Change the default consistency level to eventual
- B.Partition the container by a different key
- ✓ C.Enable multiple write regions
- D.Increase the request units (RUs) per container
Why C: Enabling multiple write regions allows writes to be accepted by the nearest regional replica, reducing cross-region network latency for write-heavy workloads. This is the most direct architectural change to lower write latency globally, as it avoids the round-trip to a single write region.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This AZ-305 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-305 exam.
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