The answer is to deploy Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication to a secondary server in West US and configure automatic failover using a failover group. This configuration meets the required Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of less than 5 seconds because active geo-replication continuously replicates transactions with a typical RPO of 5–10 seconds, and the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of under 1 hour is satisfied since failover groups can complete automatic failover in well under 30 minutes. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cross-region disaster recovery versus intra-region high availability—a common trap is confusing zone-redundant configurations (which only protect within a region) with active geo-replication for true regional failover. Remember the memory tip: “Geo for go, zone for home”—geo-replication crosses regions for disaster recovery, while zone redundancy stays local for high availability.
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 healthcare company is designing a data storage solution for its electronic health records (EHR) system. The system must store patient data in Azure SQL Database with high availability. The solution must meet the following requirements: - Data must be stored in the East US region with automatic failover to a secondary region in West US in case of a regional outage. - The Recovery Point Objective (RPO) must be less than 5 seconds. - The Recovery Time Objective (RTO) must be less than 1 hour. - The solution must minimize costs while meeting the RPO and RTO. Which Azure SQL Database configuration should the company recommend?
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
✓
Deploy Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication to a secondary server in West US. Configure automatic failover using a failover group.
Option A is correct because Azure SQL Database active geo-replication with a secondary in West US meets the RPO of 5 seconds (typically 5-10 seconds) and RTO of 1 hour (failover time is usually < 30 minutes). Option B is wrong because auto-failover groups use the same replication but require a secondary in the same region for premium tiers. Option C is wrong because zone-redundant configuration provides high availability within a region, not across regions. Option D is wrong because Azure SQL Database Managed Instance does not support active geo-replication with sub-5-second RPO.
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.
✗
Deploy Azure SQL Database Managed Instance with failover group to a secondary instance in West US.
Why it's wrong here
Managed Instance geo-replication has higher RPO (up to 5 minutes).
✓
Deploy Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication to a secondary server in West US. Configure automatic failover using a failover group.
Why this is correct
Active geo-replication provides low RPO and RTO across regions.
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.
✗
Deploy Azure SQL Database Business Critical tier with auto-failover group and a secondary replica in a different availability zone within East US.
Why it's wrong here
Failover within region only, not cross-region.
✗
Deploy Azure SQL Database General Purpose tier with zone-redundant configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Zone-redundant provides HA within region, not cross-region DR.
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: Deploy Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication to a secondary server in West US. Configure automatic failover using a failover group. — Option A is correct because Azure SQL Database active geo-replication with a secondary in West US meets the RPO of 5 seconds (typically 5-10 seconds) and RTO of 1 hour (failover time is usually < 30 minutes). Option B is wrong because auto-failover groups use the same replication but require a secondary in the same region for premium tiers. Option C is wrong because zone-redundant configuration provides high availability within a region, not across regions. Option D is wrong because Azure SQL Database Managed Instance does not support active geo-replication with sub-5-second RPO.
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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