The answer is Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master writes and conflict resolution. This is the correct choice because Azure Cosmos DB’s multi-master configuration allows data to be written in the Azure region closest to each customer, minimizing latency, while its global distribution enables all data to be read from a central analytics platform for reporting. Crucially, Cosmos DB supports data residency by allowing you to define per-region write locations, ensuring customer data remains in its country of origin as required by compliance regulations. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to balance low-latency writes, global reads, and strict residency constraints—a common trap is choosing geo-redundant storage or geo-replication, which replicate entire datasets without per-item residency control. Remember the memory tip: “Multi-master for multi-region residency” to recall that only Cosmos DB’s multi-master writes give you both local writes and compliance control.
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 multinational corporation is designing a data storage solution for its global customer data. The data must be stored in the Azure region closest to each customer to minimize latency, but all data must be accessible from a central analytics platform for reporting. The solution must also comply with data residency regulations that require customer data to remain in the country of origin. Which Azure storage solution 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
✓
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master writes and conflict resolution
Option C is correct because Azure Cosmos DB supports multi-region writes and data residency with a multi-master configuration, allowing data to be written in the region closest to the customer and read globally. Option A is wrong because Azure Blob Storage with geo-redundant storage (GRS) does not allow per-item residency control. Option B is wrong because Azure SQL Database with geo-replication replicates entire databases, not per-customer data. Option D is wrong because Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 is a single-region service and does not natively support multi-region data placement per customer.
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.
✓
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master writes and conflict resolution
Why this is correct
Cosmos DB supports multi-region writes and can enforce data residency at the partition level.
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 Data Lake Storage Gen2 with geo-zone-redundant storage (GZRS)
Why it's wrong here
Data Lake Storage Gen2 is single-region and does not support multi-region writes.
✗
Azure Blob Storage with geo-redundant storage (GRS)
Why it's wrong here
GRS replicates data to a paired region but does not allow per-customer region selection.
✗
Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication
Why it's wrong here
Active geo-replication replicates entire databases, not granular per-customer data.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master writes and conflict resolution — Option C is correct because Azure Cosmos DB supports multi-region writes and data residency with a multi-master configuration, allowing data to be written in the region closest to the customer and read globally. Option A is wrong because Azure Blob Storage with geo-redundant storage (GRS) does not allow per-item residency control. Option B is wrong because Azure SQL Database with geo-replication replicates entire databases, not per-customer data. Option D is wrong because Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 is a single-region service and does not natively support multi-region data placement per customer.
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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