- A
Use Azure Files with snapshots and keep files in the Premium tier for 30 days, then move to Standard tier.
Why wrong: Azure Files is a file share service, not designed for large-scale unstructured blob storage; also, Premium is more expensive.
- B
Use Azure Managed Disks with read-only snapshots and delete snapshots after 7 years.
Why wrong: Managed disks are for VM disks, not for general unstructured data; snapshots are incremental and not cost-effective for long-term storage.
- C
Use Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management to transition blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers.
Lifecycle management automates tiering based on age, providing cost savings. Hot for frequent, Cool for infrequent, Archive for long-term retention.
- D
Store all data in Blob Storage Hot tier and delete after 7 years.
Why wrong: Keeping data in Hot tier for 7 years is expensive; Archive tier is much cheaper for rarely accessed data.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management to transition blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers. This is the most cost-effective solution because lifecycle management automates data movement based on age and access patterns, moving frequently accessed data from the Hot tier to the Cool tier after 30 days, then to the Archive tier for the remaining 7-year retention period, minimizing storage costs while meeting compliance. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of tiered storage optimization for unstructured data, a core design principle for cost-efficient solutions. A common trap is choosing Azure Files or managed disks, which are designed for file shares or VM disks respectively, not for large-scale blob data. Remember the memory tip: “Hot for a month, Cool for a while, Archive for a mile” — matching access frequency to the cheapest tier over time.
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.
You need to design a storage solution for an application that stores large amounts of unstructured data that is accessed frequently for the first 30 days, then rarely after that. Compliance requirements mandate that data be retained for 7 years. Which of the following is the most cost-effective storage solution?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Use Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management to transition blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers.
Option B is correct because Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management can automatically move blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers as access patterns change, minimizing cost. Option A is wrong because Azure Files is for file shares, not optimal for large unstructured data. Option C is wrong because keeping all data in Hot tier is expensive. Option D is wrong because managed disks are for VM disks, not for general unstructured data storage.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use Azure Files with snapshots and keep files in the Premium tier for 30 days, then move to Standard tier.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files is a file share service, not designed for large-scale unstructured blob storage; also, Premium is more expensive.
- ✗
Use Azure Managed Disks with read-only snapshots and delete snapshots after 7 years.
Why it's wrong here
Managed disks are for VM disks, not for general unstructured data; snapshots are incremental and not cost-effective for long-term storage.
- ✓
Use Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management to transition blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers.
Why this is correct
Lifecycle management automates tiering based on age, providing cost savings. Hot for frequent, Cool for infrequent, Archive for long-term retention.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Store all data in Blob Storage Hot tier and delete after 7 years.
Why it's wrong here
Keeping data in Hot tier for 7 years is expensive; Archive tier is much cheaper for rarely accessed data.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related AZ-305 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
- →
Design infrastructure solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Design infrastructure solutions practice questions
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Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 study guide
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AZ-305 practice test guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
Design infrastructure solutions — This question tests Design infrastructure solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management to transition blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers. — Option B is correct because Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management can automatically move blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers as access patterns change, minimizing cost. Option A is wrong because Azure Files is for file shares, not optimal for large unstructured data. Option C is wrong because keeping all data in Hot tier is expensive. Option D is wrong because managed disks are for VM disks, not for general unstructured data storage.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related AZ-305 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on AZ-305
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is designing a storage solution for a new application that will store large amounts of unstructured data, such as images and videos. The data must be highly durable and available, and the solution should minimize costs for infrequently accessed data. Which TWO storage options should be recommended? (Choose two.)
easy- ✓ A.Azure Blob Storage with Cool access tier
- B.Azure Disk Storage with Standard HDD
- C.Azure Files with Premium performance tier
- D.Azure NetApp Files with Standard service level
- ✓ E.Azure Blob Storage with Archive access tier
Why A: The correct answers are A and C. Azure Blob Storage is ideal for unstructured data, and the Cool access tier is cost-effective for infrequently accessed data. Option B is wrong because Azure Files is for file shares, not optimal for large-scale unstructured data. Option D is wrong because Azure Disk Storage is for VM disks, not for general unstructured data. Option E is wrong because Azure NetApp Files is for enterprise workloads requiring high performance, not cost-effective for infrequent access.
Variation 2. You need to design a storage solution for a new application that requires low-latency access to frequently accessed data and also needs to archive data that is older than 90 days to the most cost-effective storage tier. Which Azure storage account type and tier configuration should you recommend?
easy- A.Premium block blob storage account.
- B.General-purpose v1 account with cool tier.
- C.BlockBlobStorage account with hot tier.
- ✓ D.General-purpose v2 account with hot tier and a lifecycle management policy to move to cool tier after 90 days.
Why D: Option B is correct because a general-purpose v2 account supports both hot and cool tiers, and lifecycle management can move blobs to the cool tier after 90 days. Option A is wrong because BlockBlobStorage does not support lifecycle management to cool. Option C is wrong because general-purpose v1 does not support tiering. Option D is wrong because premium block blob is for high-performance but not cost-effective for archiving.
Variation 3. You are designing a storage solution for a new application that will store large binary files (up to 5 TB each) and require high throughput for sequential reads. The data is accessed infrequently but must be retained for 7 years for compliance. Which Azure storage solution should you recommend?
easy- ✓ A.Azure Blob Storage in the Cool tier
- B.Azure Managed Disks with Standard HDD
- C.Azure Files shares in the Premium tier
- D.Azure NetApp Files with Standard service level
Why A: Option B is correct because Azure Blob Storage supports large blobs (up to ~4.75 TB) and the Cool tier is cost-effective for infrequently accessed data with long retention. Option A (Azure Files) has size limits. Option C (Azure Managed Disks) is for VM disks, not unstructured data. Option D (Azure NetApp Files) is for enterprise workloads, not cost-effective for archival.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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