- A
SQL Server Always On Availability Group
AG with synchronous commit ensures zero data loss on automatic failover. It also allows configuring read-only routing to direct reporting queries to secondary replicas.
- B
SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance (FCI)
Why wrong: FCI provides high availability at the instance level using shared storage, but it does not support synchronous replication or read-only secondary replicas for reporting.
- C
Azure Site Recovery
Why wrong: Azure Site Recovery is a disaster recovery solution that replicates VMs across regions. It is not designed for high availability within a single region and does not guarantee zero data loss.
- D
Azure Backup
Why wrong: Azure Backup provides backup and restore capabilities but does not offer automatic failover or replication for high availability.
Quick Answer
The answer is SQL Server Always On Availability Groups. This solution is correct because it enables synchronous replication with automatic failover, guaranteeing zero data loss (RPO=0) within a single Azure region, while also allowing secondary replicas to be configured as readable for read-only routing—perfectly supporting reporting workloads without impacting the primary database. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between database-level high availability (Always On AG) and instance-level solutions like Failover Cluster Instances, which do not support readable secondaries. A common trap is choosing SQL Server replication or log shipping, but those lack automatic failover and synchronous zero-data-loss guarantees. Memory tip: think “AG = Always on, Always readable, Automatic failover” to recall that this single feature meets both high availability and read-only routing requirements.
AZ-305 Design business continuity solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design business continuity 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 company runs SQL Server on an Azure virtual machine. They need to ensure high availability within a single Azure region. The solution must provide automatic failover with zero data loss (synchronous replication) and support read-only routing for reporting workloads. Which solution should they implement?
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
SQL Server Always On Availability Group
SQL Server Always On Availability Groups (AG) provide high availability and disaster recovery at the database level. They support synchronous replication with automatic failover, ensuring zero data loss (RPO=0) within a single Azure region. Additionally, AGs allow secondary replicas to be configured as readable, enabling read-only routing for reporting workloads, which directly meets all stated requirements.
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.
- ✓
SQL Server Always On Availability Group
Why this is correct
AG with synchronous commit ensures zero data loss on automatic failover. It also allows configuring read-only routing to direct reporting queries to secondary replicas.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance (FCI)
Why it's wrong here
FCI provides high availability at the instance level using shared storage, but it does not support synchronous replication or read-only secondary replicas for reporting.
- ✗
Azure Site Recovery
Why it's wrong here
Azure Site Recovery is a disaster recovery solution that replicates VMs across regions. It is not designed for high availability within a single region and does not guarantee zero data loss.
- ✗
Azure Backup
Why it's wrong here
Azure Backup provides backup and restore capabilities but does not offer automatic failover or replication for high availability.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing Failover Cluster Instances (FCI) with Availability Groups; FCI provides instance-level HA with shared storage but cannot serve read-only workloads from secondary nodes, while AGs offer database-level HA with readable secondaries and synchronous replication.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Always On Availability Groups use Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) and require a listener for automatic client redirection. Synchronous replication commits transactions on both primary and secondary replicas before acknowledging the client, ensuring zero data loss. Read-only routing is achieved by configuring the secondary replica with `APPLICATION_INTENT=READ_ONLY` in the connection string, allowing reporting queries to offload from the primary without impacting performance.
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
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.
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.
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Design business continuity solutions — study guide chapter
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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: SQL Server Always On Availability Group — SQL Server Always On Availability Groups (AG) provide high availability and disaster recovery at the database level. They support synchronous replication with automatic failover, ensuring zero data loss (RPO=0) within a single Azure region. Additionally, AGs allow secondary replicas to be configured as readable, enabling read-only routing for reporting workloads, which directly meets all stated requirements.
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
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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.
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