A company wants to back up their Azure VMs (running Windows and Linux) to a Recovery Services vault. The backup data must be encrypted at rest using customer-managed keys. They also need to retain monthly backups for 5 years for compliance. Which configuration should they use?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Best answer
A
Azure Backup supports customer-managed keys for encrypting backup data. Configure the Recovery Services vault with a customer-managed key from Key Vault and create a backup policy that includes daily and monthly retention points.
Distractor review
B
Azure Disk Encryption encrypts the OS and data disks of a VM but does not automatically encrypt backup data stored in the Recovery Services vault. Backup encryption is independent.
Distractor review
C
Azure Site Recovery is designed for disaster recovery replication, not long-term backup retention. It is not suitable for meeting the 5-year compliance requirement.
Distractor review
D
Azure Backup encrypts backup data by default with platform-managed keys. Customer-managed key support is available, so this statement is incorrect.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A company is designing hub-and-spoke networking. Spoke VNets must use a central Azure Firewall for outbound internet traffic. Which two configurations are required?
Question 2
A company is designing private access to a PaaS database from workloads in a VNet. The database should not be reachable over its public endpoint. What should be recommended?
Question 3
A data platform must support analytical queries over petabytes of files in a data lake, while preserving hierarchical namespaces and fine-grained ACLs. Which storage service should you design around?
Question 4
A database workload has an RPO of 15 minutes and an RTO of 4 hours. Cost is more important than near-zero data loss. Which design is usually more appropriate than synchronous multi-region replication?
Question 5
A hub-and-spoke Azure network must centralize outbound inspection and still allow spokes to resolve private endpoint DNS names. Which two components are commonly required? (Choose 2.)
Question 6
A multinational company uses Microsoft Entra ID and several Azure subscriptions. Security administrators need to review privileged role assignments every month and require justification for continued access. Which design should be recommended?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A — Azure Backup supports encryption at rest using customer-managed keys (CMK) stored in Azure Key Vault. This is configured at the Recovery Services vault level. A backup policy can include monthly retention points. Azure Disk Encryption is separate and does not automatically encrypt backup data. Azure Site Recovery is for replication, not long-term backup retention. Option D correctly describes using Azure Backup with a vault configured for CMK and a policy with daily and monthly retention.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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