- A
Azure Cosmos DB with single-master and multiple read regions
Why wrong: Single-master allows writes only in one region, so multi-region writes are not possible. This does not meet the low-latency ingestion requirement from all regions.
- B
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and default strong consistency
Why wrong: While multi-master supports multi-region writes, default strong consistency would cause higher write latency due to synchronous replication across regions, which may not be optimal for all operations.
- C
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and per-request consistency override
Multi-master allows writes in any region and automatic conflict resolution. Per-request consistency override enables the application to use strong consistency for critical device command reads and eventual consistency for other reads, meeting all requirements.
- D
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and eventual consistency only
Why wrong: Eventual consistency only cannot guarantee strong consistency for device command reads, which is required.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and per-request consistency override. This configuration is correct because multi-master enables low-latency multi-region writes for global IoT telemetry ingestion, while automatically handling concurrent document updates through last-writer-wins or custom conflict resolvers. The per-request consistency override then allows the application to demand strong consistency for critical device command reads, yet fall back to eventual consistency for user-facing dashboard queries, perfectly balancing performance and data integrity. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to combine global write distribution with granular consistency control, a common trap being to assume a single consistency level must apply to all operations. Remember the memory tip: “Multi-master for writes, per-request for reads” — strong for commands, eventual for dashboards.
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.
A global IoT platform ingests telemetry data from millions of devices. The application requires multi-region writes to support low-latency ingestion from any location. The schema uses JSON documents and fields often vary. The team needs automatic conflict resolution when the same document is updated concurrently from different regions. Additionally, read operations for device commands must use strong consistency, while user-facing dashboard queries can use eventual consistency. Which Azure Cosmos DB configuration should they choose?
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 multi-master and per-request consistency override
Option C is correct because the scenario requires multi-region writes (multi-master) for low-latency ingestion, automatic conflict resolution (which multi-master provides via last-writer-wins or custom conflict resolvers), and strong consistency for device command reads while allowing eventual consistency for dashboards. Per-request consistency override in Azure Cosmos DB lets the application set strong consistency on specific read operations (e.g., device commands) while defaulting to eventual consistency for others, meeting all requirements without sacrificing performance.
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.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB with single-master and multiple read regions
Why it's wrong here
Single-master allows writes only in one region, so multi-region writes are not possible. This does not meet the low-latency ingestion requirement from all regions.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and default strong consistency
Why it's wrong here
While multi-master supports multi-region writes, default strong consistency would cause higher write latency due to synchronous replication across regions, which may not be optimal for all operations.
- ✓
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and per-request consistency override
Why this is correct
Multi-master allows writes in any region and automatic conflict resolution. Per-request consistency override enables the application to use strong consistency for critical device command reads and eventual consistency for other reads, meeting all requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and eventual consistency only
Why it's wrong here
Eventual consistency only cannot guarantee strong consistency for device command reads, which is required.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume multi-master forces a single consistency level across all operations, but Azure Cosmos DB allows per-request overrides to mix consistency levels, which is the key to satisfying mixed requirements without over-provisioning.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Eventual consistency only cannot guarantee strong consistency for device command reads, which is required.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Cosmos DB multi-master uses a last-writer-wins (LWW) conflict resolution policy by default, which automatically resolves concurrent updates based on a timestamp or custom property. The per-request consistency override is implemented via the `x-ms-consistency-level` header in the REST API or the `ConsistencyLevel` property in the SDK, allowing a single request to use strong consistency while the account defaults to eventual. This is critical for IoT scenarios where device commands must be read with absolute freshness, but dashboards can tolerate stale data to reduce latency.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Design data storage solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Design data storage 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 data storage solutions — This question tests Design data storage solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Cosmos DB with multi-master and per-request consistency override — Option C is correct because the scenario requires multi-region writes (multi-master) for low-latency ingestion, automatic conflict resolution (which multi-master provides via last-writer-wins or custom conflict resolvers), and strong consistency for device command reads while allowing eventual consistency for dashboards. Per-request consistency override in Azure Cosmos DB lets the application set strong consistency on specific read operations (e.g., device commands) while defaulting to eventual consistency for others, meeting all requirements without sacrificing performance.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 →
Keep practising
More AZ-305 practice questions
- A company has multiple Azure virtual networks (VNets) in different regions and an on-premises data center connected via…
- A company is designing hub-and-spoke networking. Spoke VNets must use a central Azure Firewall for outbound internet tra…
- A company has virtual machines in Azure that need to be grouped across multiple fault domains and update domains to ensu…
- A company plans to migrate on-premises applications to Azure. They require users to authenticate using their existing on…
- A company has multiple Azure subscriptions and wants to enforce that all administrators must use multi-factor authentica…
- A company has two on-premises data centers and an Azure subscription. They need to connect each data center to Azure wit…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.