The answer is that the Azure PowerShell context is not set to the subscription containing the VM. This is the most likely cause of the Azure Site Recovery PowerShell script subscription context error because the Get-AzVM cmdlet operates within the currently active Azure context, which defaults to the disaster recovery subscription where the vault resides, not the production subscription hosting the VM. Without explicitly switching the context using Set-AzContext, the script cannot locate the VM, even though the vault, fabric, and policy are found successfully. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of multi-subscription management and the importance of context switching in PowerShell automation, a common trap where candidates assume all resources are in the same subscription. A helpful memory tip is “Context first, VM last”—always verify and set your Azure subscription context before running resource-specific cmdlets like Get-AzVM.
AZ-305 Design business continuity solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design business continuity solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An administrator runs the PowerShell script to enable replication for a VM. The script fails with an error that the VM is not found. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Azure PowerShell context is not set to the subscription that contains the VM.
Option A is correct because the Get-AzVM cmdlet is run against the current Azure context, which might be set to the DR subscription, but the VM is in the PROD-RG in the production subscription. The script does not switch the context to the production subscription, so the VM is not found. Option B is wrong because the vault is found (Get-AzRecoveryServicesVault succeeds). Option C is wrong because the fabric and protection container are retrieved successfully. Option D is wrong because the policy is retrieved successfully.
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.
✗
The Recovery Services vault does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
The vault is retrieved successfully, so it exists.
✗
The protection container is not available.
Why it's wrong here
The protection container is retrieved successfully.
✗
The replication policy is not valid.
Why it's wrong here
The policy is retrieved successfully.
✓
The Azure PowerShell context is not set to the subscription that contains the VM.
Why this is correct
The script does not use Set-AzContext to switch to the production subscription.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" 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
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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 business continuity solutions — This question tests Design business continuity solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The Azure PowerShell context is not set to the subscription that contains the VM. — Option A is correct because the Get-AzVM cmdlet is run against the current Azure context, which might be set to the DR subscription, but the VM is in the PROD-RG in the production subscription. The script does not switch the context to the production subscription, so the VM is not found. Option B is wrong because the vault is found (Get-AzRecoveryServicesVault succeeds). Option C is wrong because the fabric and protection container are retrieved successfully. Option D is wrong because the policy is retrieved successfully.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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