The answer is to enable multi-region writes with automatic failover. This configuration is correct because Cosmos DB’s multi-region writes allow any region to accept writes simultaneously, so if one region fails, the other region continues processing transactions with zero data loss, achieving an RPO of 5 seconds and an RTO of 1 minute. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Cosmos DB disaster recovery trade-offs: single-region writes with automatic failover can have an RPO up to 15 minutes, while manual failover increases RTO, and availability zones only protect within a single region. A common trap is confusing intra-region high availability (availability zones) with cross-region disaster recovery. Remember the memory tip: “Multi-write means zero-fight”—with multiple write regions, you avoid the fight for data recovery time.
AZ-305 Design business continuity solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design business continuity solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 company uses Azure Cosmos DB with a single write region. They need to ensure business continuity with an RPO of 5 seconds and RTO of 1 minute in case of a regional outage. What configuration should they use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable multi-region writes with automatic failover
Option C is correct because Cosmos DB multi-region writes with automatic failover provides the lowest RPO and RTO. With multiple write regions, if one region fails, the other region continues to accept writes with no data loss. Option A is wrong because single-region writes with automatic failover has higher RPO (up to 15 minutes). Option B is wrong because manual failover has higher RTO. Option D is wrong because availability zones protect within a region, not cross-region.
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.
✓
Enable multi-region writes with automatic failover
Why this is correct
Multi-region writes provide near-zero RPO and automatic failover with low RTO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable automatic failover from a single write region to a read region
Why it's wrong here
This can have RPO up to 15 minutes.
✗
Deploy Cosmos DB in an availability zone-enabled region
Why it's wrong here
This protects within a region, not cross-region.
✗
Use manual failover to a secondary read region
Why it's wrong here
Manual failover has higher RTO.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-305 question in full detail.
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 — 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: Enable multi-region writes with automatic failover — Option C is correct because Cosmos DB multi-region writes with automatic failover provides the lowest RPO and RTO. With multiple write regions, if one region fails, the other region continues to accept writes with no data loss. Option A is wrong because single-region writes with automatic failover has higher RPO (up to 15 minutes). Option B is wrong because manual failover has higher RTO. Option D is wrong because availability zones protect within a region, not cross-region.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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