- A
Deploy a secondary region (East US) with a passive AKS cluster (minimal node count), a standby App Service plan (same tier), and a secondary Azure SQL Database in an auto-failover group. Use Azure Traffic Manager for frontend and configure Azure Cache for Redis with geo-replication. For Blob Storage, enable geo-redundant storage (GRS).
This meets the RPO/RTO with minimal cost by using a passive standby.
- B
Use Azure Backup for the database with 5-minute log backup frequency. For the app, use Azure App Service backup with frequency to a secondary region. For AKS, back up persistent volumes using Azure Backup. Restore everything in a secondary region during disaster.
Why wrong: Backup cannot meet 1-hour RTO because restore takes time.
- C
Deploy the entire application across two Azure Availability Zones within West US. Use zone-redundant storage for blobs, zone-redundant App Service plan, and zone-redundant AKS. For SQL Database, use a zone-redundant configuration. For Redis, use Enterprise tier with zone redundancy.
Why wrong: Availability Zones do not protect against a regional outage.
- D
Use Azure Site Recovery to replicate all VMs (including AKS nodes) to a secondary region. For the database, use Azure SQL Database active geo-replication. For Azure Cache for Redis, replicate data via geo-replication. Use Azure Traffic Manager for frontend traffic routing.
Why wrong: ASR for AKS is not supported; also potentially more expensive.
Quick Answer
The correct primary DR strategy is deploying a secondary region with a passive AKS cluster, a standby App Service plan, and an Azure SQL Database auto-failover group using active geo-replication. This meets the 5-minute RPO because auto-failover groups support synchronous data replication to a paired region, ensuring near-zero data loss, while the pre-provisioned compute resources in the secondary region allow the entire application to fail over within the 1-hour RTO. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance cost and resilience for multi-tier disaster recovery design—the key trap is assuming Azure Site Recovery is needed for everything, but it’s overkill and expensive here; instead, native platform features like Traffic Manager for frontend routing, geo-replication for Redis, and GRS for Blob Storage handle each tier efficiently. Remember the mnemonic “PASS the DR” for paired region, auto-failover, standby compute, and storage redundancy.
AZ-305 Design business continuity solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design business continuity 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.
Contoso Ltd. is a global e-commerce company running its online store on Azure. The application consists of: - Frontend: Azure App Service (Windows) in West US. - Backend: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) cluster in West US. - Database: Azure SQL Database (General Purpose, S2) in West US. - Cache: Azure Cache for Redis (Standard C1) in West US. - Storage: Azure Blob Storage (LRS) for product images.
Business continuity requirements: - RPO: 5 minutes for the database. - RTO: 1 hour for the entire application. - The solution must survive a complete West US region outage. - Budget is limited; minimize additional costs.
What should you recommend as the primary DR strategy?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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 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
Deploy a secondary region (East US) with a passive AKS cluster (minimal node count), a standby App Service plan (same tier), and a secondary Azure SQL Database in an auto-failover group. Use Azure Traffic Manager for frontend and configure Azure Cache for Redis with geo-replication. For Blob Storage, enable geo-redundant storage (GRS).
Option C is correct because Azure SQL Database auto-failover group with a secondary in a paired region (e.g., East US) meets the 5-minute RPO (active geo-replication with synchronous mode) and 1-hour RTO. For AKS and App Service, you can deploy a minimal standby cluster and App Service plan in the secondary region, and use Azure Traffic Manager for global load balancing. Azure Cache for Redis can be deployed with geo-replication. Option A is wrong because Azure Site Recovery for the entire environment would be more expensive and may not meet the database RPO. Option B is wrong because Azure Backup has an RPO of at least 1 hour. Option D is wrong because Availability Zones do not protect against a regional outage.
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.
- ✓
Deploy a secondary region (East US) with a passive AKS cluster (minimal node count), a standby App Service plan (same tier), and a secondary Azure SQL Database in an auto-failover group. Use Azure Traffic Manager for frontend and configure Azure Cache for Redis with geo-replication. For Blob Storage, enable geo-redundant storage (GRS).
Why this is correct
This meets the RPO/RTO with minimal cost by using a passive standby.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "primary", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Azure Backup for the database with 5-minute log backup frequency. For the app, use Azure App Service backup with frequency to a secondary region. For AKS, back up persistent volumes using Azure Backup. Restore everything in a secondary region during disaster.
Why it's wrong here
Backup cannot meet 1-hour RTO because restore takes time.
- ✗
Deploy the entire application across two Azure Availability Zones within West US. Use zone-redundant storage for blobs, zone-redundant App Service plan, and zone-redundant AKS. For SQL Database, use a zone-redundant configuration. For Redis, use Enterprise tier with zone redundancy.
Why it's wrong here
Availability Zones do not protect against a regional outage.
- ✗
Use Azure Site Recovery to replicate all VMs (including AKS nodes) to a secondary region. For the database, use Azure SQL Database active geo-replication. For Azure Cache for Redis, replicate data via geo-replication. Use Azure Traffic Manager for frontend traffic routing.
Why it's wrong here
ASR for AKS is not supported; also potentially more expensive.
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
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.
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 — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Design business continuity solutions practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All AZ-305 questions
999 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
AZ-305 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related AZ-305 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions.
Design data storage solutions practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to Design data storage solutions.
Design business continuity solutions practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to Design business continuity solutions.
Design infrastructure solutions practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to Design infrastructure solutions.
SAA-C03 VPC practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 VPC.
SAA-C03 S3 lifecycle policy questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 S3 lifecycle policy questions.
SAA-C03 RDS Multi-AZ questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 RDS Multi-AZ questions.
SAA-C03 IAM policy practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 IAM policy.
SAA-C03 Route 53 failover questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 Route 53 failover questions.
SAA-C03 CloudFront practice questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 CloudFront.
SAA-C03 NAT gateway questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 NAT gateway questions.
SAA-C03 VPC endpoint questions
Practise AZ-305 questions linked to SAA-C03 VPC endpoint questions.
Practice this exam
Start a free AZ-305 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
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: Deploy a secondary region (East US) with a passive AKS cluster (minimal node count), a standby App Service plan (same tier), and a secondary Azure SQL Database in an auto-failover group. Use Azure Traffic Manager for frontend and configure Azure Cache for Redis with geo-replication. For Blob Storage, enable geo-redundant storage (GRS). — Option C is correct because Azure SQL Database auto-failover group with a secondary in a paired region (e.g., East US) meets the 5-minute RPO (active geo-replication with synchronous mode) and 1-hour RTO. For AKS and App Service, you can deploy a minimal standby cluster and App Service plan in the secondary region, and use Azure Traffic Manager for global load balancing. Azure Cache for Redis can be deployed with geo-replication. Option A is wrong because Azure Site Recovery for the entire environment would be more expensive and may not meet the database RPO. Option B is wrong because Azure Backup has an RPO of at least 1 hour. Option D is wrong because Availability Zones do not protect against a regional outage.
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: "primary", "minimum / minimize". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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
1 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. Contoso is a global e-commerce company that runs its platform on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) with Istio service mesh. The application uses Azure Cosmos DB (API for MongoDB) with multi-region writes enabled. The platform also uses Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise for session caching. The business requires a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 30 seconds and a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 0 for all tiers. You need to design a disaster recovery solution that meets these requirements with high availability. What should you recommend?
hard- A.Deploy AKS in two regions with Azure Traffic Manager. Use Azure Cosmos DB with multi-region writes. Use Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise with active geo-replication.
- B.Deploy AKS in two regions with Azure Front Door. Use Azure Cosmos DB with a single write region and auto-failover. Use Azure Cache for Redis Standard with geo-replication.
- ✓ C.Deploy AKS in two regions with Azure Front Door. Use Azure Cosmos DB with multi-region writes. Use Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise with active geo-replication.
- D.Use Azure SQL Database with auto-failover groups for the database tier. Deploy AKS in two regions with Azure Front Door. Use Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise with active geo-replication.
Why C: Option D is correct because Azure Cosmos DB multi-region writes provides zero data loss; Azure Front Door provides fast failover for AKS; Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise active geo-replication supports multi-region writes with zero data loss. Option A is wrong because Cosmos DB single-region writes cannot achieve RPO=0 during a regional outage. Option B is wrong because Azure Traffic Manager is DNS-based and slower. Option C is wrong because Azure SQL Database does not support multi-region writes with RPO=0.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.