The answer is Syslog and Common Event Format (CEF). Syslog is the standard protocol used by on-premises firewalls to stream log data over UDP or TCP, while CEF is a syslog-based format that normalizes these logs into a consistent schema, making them directly ingestible by Microsoft Sentinel via a Log Analytics agent or Azure Monitor Agent. On the AZ-305 exam, this tests your understanding of how to integrate legacy on-premises security appliances into a cloud-native SIEM, often appearing in design scenarios where you must choose between agent-based and format-specific connectors. A common trap is selecting “Windows Security Events” or “DNS” connectors, which are for endpoints, not firewalls. Remember the mnemonic: “Syslog sends, CEF shapes”—Syslog delivers the raw stream, and CEF structures it for Sentinel’s parsing.
AZ-305 Practice Question: Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Your organization uses Microsoft Sentinel for security information and event management (SIEM). You need to collect logs from on-premises firewalls and send them to Sentinel. Which TWO connectors can you use? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Syslog
Syslog is a standard protocol for sending log messages from network devices, including firewalls, to a central collector. Common Event Format (CEF) is a syslog-based format that normalizes logs from different security products, making them easier to parse and analyze in Sentinel. Both connectors allow on-premises firewalls to forward their logs to a Log Analytics agent or AMA, which then sends them to Sentinel.
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.
✗
DNS
Why it's wrong here
DNS connector is for DNS servers, not general firewall logs.
✓
Syslog
Why this is correct
Syslog is a standard protocol for log collection; many firewalls support it.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Common Event Format (CEF)
Why this is correct
CEF is a standard format used by many security devices, including firewalls.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Activity Log
Why it's wrong here
Captures Azure resource operations, not on-premises firewall logs.
✗
Windows Security Events via AMA
Why it's wrong here
This is for Windows machines, not firewalls.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'Syslog' with 'DNS' or 'Windows Security Events' because they think any log source can be collected via a generic connector, but Sentinel requires specific connectors for each data source type.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Syslog uses UDP port 514 by default (or TCP 6514 for encrypted syslog), and CEF is a key-value pair format defined by ArcSight that includes fields like 'deviceVendor', 'deviceProduct', and 'signatureId'. In Sentinel, the Log Analytics agent or Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) can be configured with a Syslog or CEF data connector to parse these messages, with CEF requiring a specific syslog daemon (e.g., rsyslog with the omsagent configuration) to forward events to the workspace.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-305 question in full detail.
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — This question tests Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Syslog — Syslog is a standard protocol for sending log messages from network devices, including firewalls, to a central collector. Common Event Format (CEF) is a syslog-based format that normalizes logs from different security products, making them easier to parse and analyze in Sentinel. Both connectors allow on-premises firewalls to forward their logs to a Log Analytics agent or AMA, which then sends them to Sentinel.
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.
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Question Discussion
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