The answer is Azure Backup with a long-term retention policy and Azure Blob Storage Archive tier. This combination is correct because Azure Backup allows you to define retention policies extending up to 99 years, easily covering the 10-year compliance requirement, while the Archive tier provides the lowest-cost storage for data that is rarely accessed, offering 11 nines of durability by storing multiple copies across Azure regions. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance cost optimization with compliance-driven retention, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose cool or hot tiers for long-term storage. Remember, the Archive tier is ideal for data that must be kept but accessed infrequently, and pairing it with Azure Backup’s policy ensures automated lifecycle management. Memory tip: think “Backup for policy, Archive for price” to link the service with its cost-saving tier.
AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design data storage 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 is designing a storage solution for its backup data. The backups must be stored for 10 years for compliance reasons. The solution should minimize storage costs while ensuring data durability. Which two Azure services should the company consider? (Choose two.)
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 Blob Storage Archive tier
Azure Blob Storage Archive tier is correct because it provides the lowest-cost storage for data that is rarely accessed, with a 10-year retention period meeting compliance requirements. It offers 11 nines of durability (99.999999999%) by storing multiple copies across Azure regions, ensuring data integrity over the long term.
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 Blob Storage Archive tier
Why this is correct
Lowest cost for rarely accessed data.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Files with snapshots
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are not cost-effective for 10-year retention.
✗
Azure NetApp Files with cross-region replication
Why it's wrong here
Expensive for archive purposes.
✗
Azure Disk Storage with incremental snapshots
Why it's wrong here
Disk storage is not for backup archives.
✓
Azure Backup with long-term retention policy
Why this is correct
Uses Blob Storage archive for cost-effective long-term retention.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Backup with long-term retention (which is a service that manages backup lifecycle and can use Archive tier) with other Azure storage services that are not designed for cost-effective, long-term archival, such as Azure Files or Azure NetApp Files.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Blob Storage Archive tier uses erasure coding and geo-redundant storage (GRS) to achieve 11 nines of durability, with data stored on low-cost, high-density media. The Archive tier has a 180-day minimum retention period and a 30-day rehydration time, which aligns with compliance scenarios where data is rarely accessed but must be preserved. Azure Backup with long-term retention policy leverages the Archive tier for backups older than a configurable period, automatically tiering data to minimize costs while maintaining compliance.
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 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.
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: Azure Blob Storage Archive tier — Azure Blob Storage Archive tier is correct because it provides the lowest-cost storage for data that is rarely accessed, with a 10-year retention period meeting compliance requirements. It offers 11 nines of durability (99.999999999%) by storing multiple copies across Azure regions, ensuring data integrity over the long term.
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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Variation 1. You are designing a solution to store large binary files (videos) that are accessed infrequently but must be retained for 7 years for compliance. The solution must minimize storage costs while allowing retrieval within 24 hours. Which Azure storage tier should you use?
easy
A.Premium tier
B.Cool tier
C.Hot tier
✓ D.Archive tier
Why D: The Archive tier is the correct choice because it is the lowest-cost storage tier for infrequently accessed data that must be retained for long periods (7 years). It allows retrieval within 24 hours via standard rehydration, meeting the compliance requirement while minimizing storage costs. The other tiers (Premium, Hot, Cool) are more expensive and designed for higher-frequency access, making them unsuitable for this cost-optimization scenario.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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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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