The answer is Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy, which is the correct choice because it enables secure remote access to on-premises web applications without opening any inbound firewall ports. It works by deploying a lightweight connector on the internal network that establishes an outbound connection to the Entra ID service, then tunnels user traffic through that persistent link, while integrating with Entra ID for pre-authentication and supporting seamless SSO via Kerberos constrained delegation or header-based authentication. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of hybrid identity and secure access patterns, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose a VPN or Azure Bastion—but remember, Application Proxy is specifically for web apps and requires no inbound rules. A helpful memory tip: think of it as a “reverse proxy that calls home,” since the connector initiates outbound traffic only, keeping your perimeter secure.
AZ-305 Practice Question: Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 company wants to allow remote users to access an internal web application hosted on-premises without opening inbound firewall ports. They need seamless single sign-on (SSO) using Microsoft Entra ID credentials. Which Azure service should they use?
Application Proxy acts as a reverse proxy that allows users to access on-premises apps from anywhere without opening inbound ports. It also supports Microsoft Entra ID SSO.
B
Microsoft Entra ID B2C
Why wrong: Microsoft Entra ID B2C is designed for customer identity and access management in external-facing applications, not for internal app access.
C
Microsoft Entra ID Domain Services
Why wrong: Microsoft Entra ID DS provides domain join and LDAP for VMs, but it does not publish web applications for external access.
D
Microsoft Entra ID Connect
Why wrong: Microsoft Entra ID Connect synchronizes on-premises directories with Microsoft Entra ID, but it does not provide remote application access.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy
Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy provides secure remote access to on-premises web applications without requiring inbound firewall ports. It works by establishing an outbound connection from the on-premises Application Proxy connector to the Entra ID service, then routing user traffic through that tunnel. It integrates with Entra ID for pre-authentication and supports seamless SSO using the user's existing Entra ID credentials via Kerberos constrained delegation (KCD) or header-based authentication.
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.
✓
Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy
Why this is correct
Application Proxy acts as a reverse proxy that allows users to access on-premises apps from anywhere without opening inbound ports. It also supports Microsoft Entra ID SSO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Microsoft Entra ID B2C
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Entra ID B2C is designed for customer identity and access management in external-facing applications, not for internal app access.
✗
Microsoft Entra ID Domain Services
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Entra ID DS provides domain join and LDAP for VMs, but it does not publish web applications for external access.
✗
Microsoft Entra ID Connect
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Entra ID Connect synchronizes on-premises directories with Microsoft Entra ID, but it does not provide remote application access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy with a VPN or DirectAccess solution, but the key differentiator is that Application Proxy requires no inbound firewall rules and uses outbound-only connectivity, which is a common exam scenario for secure remote access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Application Proxy connector runs as a Windows service on an on-premises server and maintains a persistent outbound connection to the Entra ID service using HTTPS (port 443). When a remote user accesses the app, Entra ID pre-authenticates the user, then sends the request through this tunnel to the connector, which forwards it to the internal web server. For SSO, the connector can perform Kerberos constrained delegation (KCD) to impersonate the user and obtain a Kerberos ticket from the on-premises domain controller, enabling seamless authentication without password prompts.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-305 question in full detail.
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — This question tests Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy — Microsoft Entra ID Application Proxy provides secure remote access to on-premises web applications without requiring inbound firewall ports. It works by establishing an outbound connection from the on-premises Application Proxy connector to the Entra ID service, then routing user traffic through that tunnel. It integrates with Entra ID for pre-authentication and supports seamless SSO using the user's existing Entra ID credentials via Kerberos constrained delegation (KCD) or header-based authentication.
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.
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