- A
Azure SQL Managed Instance for all databases with geo-replication for customer DB; use failover groups for global distribution; Azure Data Sync for hybrid
Why wrong: Managed Instance does not provide sub-10 ms global latency.
- B
Azure SQL Database Hyperscale for all databases; use geo-replication for customer DB; Azure SQL Server on Azure VMs for hybrid
Why wrong: Hyperscale does not provide global sub-10 ms latency for reads.
- C
Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions for customer DB; Azure SQL Database Business Critical for orders; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog; Azure SQL Managed Instance with managed instance link for hybrid
Cosmos DB provides global low-latency; SQL DB Business Critical supports complex queries; serverless reduces cost; managed instance link enables hybrid.
- D
Azure SQL Database Business Critical for customer DB with geo-replication; Azure SQL Database Hyperscale for orders; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog; Azure SQL Managed Instance for hybrid
Why wrong: Business Critical may not achieve sub-10 ms latency globally.
Quick Answer
The correct combination is Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions for the customer database, Azure SQL Database Business Critical for orders, Azure SQL Database serverless for the product catalog, and Azure SQL Managed Instance with managed instance link for hybrid deployments. This hybrid Azure database architecture for global retail works because Cosmos DB’s multi-region writes deliver sub-10 ms latency worldwide for the customer DB, while Business Critical supports complex queries and 35-day point-in-time restore for orders, serverless minimizes costs for the infrequently updated product catalog with strong consistency, and Managed Instance link enables on-premises data sovereignty compliance. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match workload characteristics—latency, consistency, query complexity, and hybrid needs—to the correct Azure data service tier. A common trap is choosing Hyperscale for the customer DB, which lacks global low-latency, or overusing Managed Instance for all databases, driving up costs. Memory tip: “Customers crave Cosmos, orders need Business, catalog goes serverless, and hybrid links to Managed Instance.”
AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design data storage solutions. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 retail company with headquarters in New York and operations in Europe and Asia. They are migrating their on-premises SQL Server databases to Azure. The databases include a customer database (500 GB), an orders database (2 TB), and a product catalog database (100 GB). The customer database requires high read throughput with sub-10 ms latency for global users. The orders database must support complex queries and reporting with point-in-time restore capability up to 35 days. The product catalog is updated infrequently but must be available for read-heavy workloads with strong consistency. Contoso wants to minimize costs while meeting performance and compliance requirements. They also need to support hybrid deployments for databases that must remain on-premises due to data sovereignty laws. You need to design a data storage solution. Which combination of Azure services and configurations should you 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.
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
Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions for customer DB; Azure SQL Database Business Critical for orders; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog; Azure SQL Managed Instance with managed instance link for hybrid
Option C is correct because Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions provides global low-latency for customer data; Azure SQL Database with Business Critical tier for orders provides complex query support and point-in-time restore; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog reduces costs for infrequent updates; and Azure SQL Managed Instance supports hybrid deployments with link. Option A is wrong because Azure SQL Database Hyperscale is for large databases but does not provide global low-latency. Option B is wrong because Azure SQL Database for customer data would not meet sub-10 ms latency globally. Option D is wrong because Azure SQL Managed Instance for all databases increases costs unnecessarily.
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.
- ✗
Azure SQL Managed Instance for all databases with geo-replication for customer DB; use failover groups for global distribution; Azure Data Sync for hybrid
Why it's wrong here
Managed Instance does not provide sub-10 ms global latency.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database Hyperscale for all databases; use geo-replication for customer DB; Azure SQL Server on Azure VMs for hybrid
Why it's wrong here
Hyperscale does not provide global sub-10 ms latency for reads.
- ✓
Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions for customer DB; Azure SQL Database Business Critical for orders; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog; Azure SQL Managed Instance with managed instance link for hybrid
Why this is correct
Cosmos DB provides global low-latency; SQL DB Business Critical supports complex queries; serverless reduces cost; managed instance link enables hybrid.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database Business Critical for customer DB with geo-replication; Azure SQL Database Hyperscale for orders; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog; Azure SQL Managed Instance for hybrid
Why it's wrong here
Business Critical may not achieve sub-10 ms latency globally.
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.
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Design data storage solutions — study guide chapter
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Design data storage solutions practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-305 question test?
Design data storage solutions — This question tests Design data storage solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions for customer DB; Azure SQL Database Business Critical for orders; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog; Azure SQL Managed Instance with managed instance link for hybrid — Option C is correct because Azure Cosmos DB with multiple write regions provides global low-latency for customer data; Azure SQL Database with Business Critical tier for orders provides complex query support and point-in-time restore; Azure SQL Database serverless for product catalog reduces costs for infrequent updates; and Azure SQL Managed Instance supports hybrid deployments with link. Option A is wrong because Azure SQL Database Hyperscale is for large databases but does not provide global low-latency. Option B is wrong because Azure SQL Database for customer data would not meet sub-10 ms latency globally. Option D is wrong because Azure SQL Managed Instance for all databases increases costs unnecessarily.
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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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