The answer is Azure Application Gateway, which is the correct choice because it provides application-layer (Layer 7) load balancing with built-in session affinity, commonly known as sticky sessions, and native SSL offload capabilities. This means the gateway can terminate incoming HTTPS traffic, decrypt it, and forward plain HTTP to backend servers while using a cookie-based mechanism to ensure all requests from a single client session are routed to the same web server. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between Azure’s load-balancing services based on OSI layer requirements—specifically, that Layer 4 solutions like Azure Load Balancer cannot perform SSL offload or application-layer session persistence, while DNS-based services like Traffic Manager lack session affinity entirely. A common trap is choosing Front Door for its global reach, but for a single-region deployment with minimal overhead, Application Gateway is the simpler, purpose-built choice. Memory tip: think “App Gateway = App Layer + SSL + Sticky,” and remember that if you need to offload TLS and pin sessions, you must go Layer 7.
AZ-305 Design infrastructure solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design infrastructure 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.
Your organization is migrating an on-premises application to Azure. The application consists of a load-balanced web tier and a backend SQL Server database. The web tier requires session persistence (sticky sessions) and SSL offload. You need to design a solution that meets these requirements with minimal operational overhead. Which Azure service should you use for the web tier load balancing?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Application Gateway
Option D is correct because Application Gateway provides application-layer load balancing with session affinity (sticky sessions) and SSL offload built-in. Option A is wrong because Traffic Manager is DNS-based and does not support session persistence or SSL offload. Option B is wrong because Front Door is a global load balancer optimized for HTTP/S but adds complexity for a single-region deployment. Option C is wrong because Load Balancer operates at Layer 4 and does not support SSL offload or application-layer session persistence.
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.
✗
Azure Traffic Manager
Why it's wrong here
Traffic Manager is DNS-based and does not provide session persistence or SSL offload.
✓
Azure Application Gateway
Why this is correct
Application Gateway provides application-layer features including session affinity and SSL offload.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Front Door
Why it's wrong here
Front Door is a global service with capabilities but is overkill for a single-region app and adds cost.
✗
Azure Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
Load Balancer is Layer 4 and cannot perform SSL offload or application-layer session persistence.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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 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.
Identify which AZ-305 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Design infrastructure solutions — This question tests Design infrastructure solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Application Gateway — Option D is correct because Application Gateway provides application-layer load balancing with session affinity (sticky sessions) and SSL offload built-in. Option A is wrong because Traffic Manager is DNS-based and does not support session persistence or SSL offload. Option B is wrong because Front Door is a global load balancer optimized for HTTP/S but adds complexity for a single-region deployment. Option C is wrong because Load Balancer operates at Layer 4 and does not support SSL offload or application-layer session persistence.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Identify which AZ-305 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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