Quick Answer
The answer is the Azure Blob Storage Archive tier. This is the correct choice because it offers the lowest storage cost of any Azure Blob Storage tier, making it ideal for long-term retention of infrequently accessed data like application logs. While data in the Archive tier has a standard retrieval time of up to 15 hours, it supports a high-priority retrieval option that can restore data within 24 hours, perfectly matching the audit requirement. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance cost against retrieval latency for compliance-driven workloads. A common trap is choosing the Cool tier, which is cheaper than Hot but still more expensive than Archive for data stored over a year. Remember the mnemonic: "Archive for Audit" — if you can wait a day to access it, Archive saves you the most money.
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 startup needs a cost-effective data storage solution for its application logs. The logs are accessed infrequently but must be available for audit purposes for up to 3 years. The solution should minimize storage costs while allowing data retrieval within 24 hours when needed. Which Azure storage tier 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.
Azure Blob Storage Cool tier
Why wrong: For infrequent access but more expensive than Archive.
Azure Blob Storage Hot tier
Why wrong: Designed for frequent access, higher cost.
Azure Blob Storage Archive tier
Lowest cost for rarely accessed data with retrieval time in hours.
Azure Blob Storage Premium tier
Why wrong: For low-latency access, highest cost.
Answer choices
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
The Archive tier is the most cost-effective option for data that is infrequently accessed and requires retrieval times of up to 15 hours (standard) or 24 hours (high-priority). Since the logs must be available within 24 hours and stored for up to 3 years, Archive meets both the cost and retrieval requirements, as it offers the lowest storage cost among Azure Blob Storage tiers.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure Blob Storage Cool tier
Why it's wrong here
For infrequent access but more expensive than Archive.
Azure Blob Storage Hot tier
Why it's wrong here
Designed for frequent access, higher cost.
Azure Blob Storage Archive tier
Why this is correct
Lowest cost for rarely accessed data with retrieval time in hours.
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 Blob Storage Premium tier
Why it's wrong here
For low-latency access, highest cost.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the Archive tier's retrieval time with the Hot or Cool tiers, assuming Archive is too slow for any audit requirement, but the 24-hour SLA for high-priority rehydration makes it suitable for this scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
Azure Blob Storage Archive tier uses offline storage where data is stored on magnetic tape or high-density disk, requiring a rehydration process (changing the blob tier to Cool or Hot) before reading. The rehydration time ranges from 1 to 15 hours for standard priority and up to 24 hours for high priority, aligning with the 24-hour retrieval requirement. A subtle behavior is that Archive blobs cannot be read directly; they must be rehydrated first, and the rehydration cost (per GB read) adds to the total cost, though still minimal for infrequent access.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Design data storage solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Design data storage solutions — This question tests Design data storage solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Azure Blob Storage Archive tier — The Archive tier is the most cost-effective option for data that is infrequently accessed and requires retrieval times of up to 15 hours (standard) or 24 hours (high-priority). Since the logs must be available within 24 hours and stored for up to 3 years, Archive meets both the cost and retrieval requirements, as it offers the lowest storage cost among Azure Blob Storage tiers.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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