- A
Set up Azure Site Recovery (ASR) for the VMs and Azure Files. Replicate to a secondary region (West Europe). Use ASR recovery plans to orchestrate failover.
Why wrong: ASR is overkill for this scenario; it is more expensive than backup and may not be justified.
- B
Configure Azure Backup for the Azure Files shares with a backup policy of 1-hour frequency. Also back up the VMs using Azure Backup with a 1-hour policy. Store backups in a Recovery Services vault with geo-redundant storage (GRS). Enable cross-region restore.
Azure Backup meets the RPO and RTO with cross-region restore, and is cost-effective.
- C
Use Azure Files share snapshots taken every hour and store them in a separate storage account in the same region. For VM backup, use Azure Backup with daily frequency. In a disaster, deploy new VMs and restore from snapshots.
Why wrong: Snapshots are stored in the same region; they do not protect against regional disaster.
- D
Implement Azure File Sync between the Azure Files share and an on-premises file server. For disaster recovery, failover to the on-premises server.
Why wrong: This does not provide a cloud-based DR solution; also on-premises may not be available.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure Azure Backup for both the Azure Files shares and the VMs with a 1-hour backup policy, storing backups in a Recovery Services vault using geo-redundant storage (GRS) and enabling cross-region restore. This meets the 1-hour RPO by scheduling frequent snapshots and the 4-hour RTO for regional disaster recovery by allowing restore to a secondary Azure region from the GRS copy. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to differentiate between Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery—a common trap is choosing Site Recovery for DR, but it is more expensive and unnecessary when the RTO of 4 hours can be met with Backup’s cross-region restore. Remember that Azure Backup handles both backup and DR for Azure Files and VMs cost-effectively, while Site Recovery is for continuous replication with lower RTOs. A helpful memory tip: “Backup for budget, Site Recovery for speed.”
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.
Fabrikam Inc. runs a file-sharing service used by 500 employees globally. The service is deployed on Azure VMs in the North Europe region. The VMs store data on Azure Files shares (Standard performance tier) mounted via SMB. The company's business continuity policy requires: - RPO: 1 hour for any data loss. - RTO: 4 hours to restore service after a regional disaster. - All data must be backed up and recoverable in a different region. - Budget is a concern; prefer cost-effective solutions.
Currently, there is no backup in place. You need to design a solution. What should you do?
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
Configure Azure Backup for the Azure Files shares with a backup policy of 1-hour frequency. Also back up the VMs using Azure Backup with a 1-hour policy. Store backups in a Recovery Services vault with geo-redundant storage (GRS). Enable cross-region restore.
Option B is correct because Azure Backup for Azure Files can schedule backups every hour (meeting 1-hour RPO) and store them in a Recovery Services vault with geo-redundant storage (GRS) to recover in another region. For the VMs, Azure Backup can also protect them with a 1-hour frequency. Cross-region restore enables recovery in a secondary region. Option A is wrong because Azure Site Recovery is more expensive and may not be needed for this RTO. Option C is wrong because Azure Files snapshots are manual and do not provide cross-region recovery. Option D is wrong because Azure File Sync is for sync, not backup.
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.
- ✗
Set up Azure Site Recovery (ASR) for the VMs and Azure Files. Replicate to a secondary region (West Europe). Use ASR recovery plans to orchestrate failover.
Why it's wrong here
ASR is overkill for this scenario; it is more expensive than backup and may not be justified.
- ✓
Configure Azure Backup for the Azure Files shares with a backup policy of 1-hour frequency. Also back up the VMs using Azure Backup with a 1-hour policy. Store backups in a Recovery Services vault with geo-redundant storage (GRS). Enable cross-region restore.
Why this is correct
Azure Backup meets the RPO and RTO with cross-region restore, and is cost-effective.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Azure Files share snapshots taken every hour and store them in a separate storage account in the same region. For VM backup, use Azure Backup with daily frequency. In a disaster, deploy new VMs and restore from snapshots.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are stored in the same region; they do not protect against regional disaster.
- ✗
Implement Azure File Sync between the Azure Files share and an on-premises file server. For disaster recovery, failover to the on-premises server.
Why it's wrong here
This does not provide a cloud-based DR solution; also on-premises may not be available.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
ASR is overkill for this scenario; it is more expensive than backup and may not be justified.
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: Configure Azure Backup for the Azure Files shares with a backup policy of 1-hour frequency. Also back up the VMs using Azure Backup with a 1-hour policy. Store backups in a Recovery Services vault with geo-redundant storage (GRS). Enable cross-region restore. — Option B is correct because Azure Backup for Azure Files can schedule backups every hour (meeting 1-hour RPO) and store them in a Recovery Services vault with geo-redundant storage (GRS) to recover in another region. For the VMs, Azure Backup can also protect them with a 1-hour frequency. Cross-region restore enables recovery in a secondary region. Option A is wrong because Azure Site Recovery is more expensive and may not be needed for this RTO. Option C is wrong because Azure Files snapshots are manual and do not provide cross-region recovery. Option D is wrong because Azure File Sync is for sync, not backup.
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.
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 →
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.