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.
Which TWO data storage solutions in Azure provide built-in, automatic geo-redundancy for disaster recovery across paired regions?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure SQL Database (active geo-replication)
Azure SQL Database's active geo-replication automatically creates a readable secondary database in a paired Azure region, enabling synchronous or asynchronous replication for disaster recovery. Azure Blob Storage with GRS or RA-GRS replicates data to a paired secondary region automatically, ensuring durability even during a regional outage. Both services provide built-in geo-redundancy without manual configuration beyond selecting the replication option.
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 SQL Database (active geo-replication)
Why this is correct
Active geo-replication provides automatic replication to paired region.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Cosmos DB (default)
Why it's wrong here
Cosmos DB requires explicit multi-region writes configuration.
✓
Azure Blob Storage (with GRS or RA-GRS)
Why this is correct
Blob Storage supports geo-redundant storage across paired regions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
Why it's wrong here
ADLS Gen2 inherits Blob Storage redundancy but is not automatically geo-redundant unless GRS is selected.
✗
Azure Files (standard tier)
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files does not offer geo-replication; only LRS or ZRS.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume all Azure storage services have built-in geo-redundancy by default, but only specific services (like SQL Database with active geo-replication and Blob Storage with GRS/RA-GRS) offer it automatically without additional configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure SQL Database active geo-replication uses the Always On availability group technology to replicate transactions at the database level, with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of up to 5 seconds. Azure Blob Storage GRS replicates data asynchronously to a paired region, but RA-GRS additionally provides read access to the secondary copy, which can be critical for read-heavy workloads during a primary region outage. Both services rely on Azure's paired region model, where data centers are at least 300 miles apart to ensure geographic isolation.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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 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 SQL Database (active geo-replication) — Azure SQL Database's active geo-replication automatically creates a readable secondary database in a paired Azure region, enabling synchronous or asynchronous replication for disaster recovery. Azure Blob Storage with GRS or RA-GRS replicates data to a paired secondary region automatically, ensuring durability even during a regional outage. Both services provide built-in geo-redundancy without manual configuration beyond selecting the replication option.
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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