The correct choice is to use Azure SQL Managed Instance with automated backups configured for 35-day retention and Locally Redundant Storage (LRS). This meets the point-in-time restore requirement because Azure SQL Managed Instance’s automated backups occur every 5–10 minutes, satisfying the 5-minute RPO, and restores can complete within the 2-hour RTO for a 2 TB database. The 35-day retention is directly configurable in the automated backup policy, and LRS minimizes cost while still providing sufficient durability for a single-region deployment. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between automated backups for PITR and other features like geo-replication or long-term retention—common traps include confusing PITR retention with disaster recovery or assuming higher redundancy is always required. A useful memory tip: “PITR is for time travel, not geography; keep it local and short unless you need to survive a region loss.”
AZ-305 Design data storage solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design data storage 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.
You are a cloud architect at a healthcare company. They have an existing application running on Azure VMs in a single region. The application uses SQL Server on a VM for its database. The company is migrating to Azure SQL Managed Instance for better manageability and compliance. The database is 2 TB and requires point-in-time restore (PITR) capability with a retention period of 35 days. The workload is critical with an RPO of 5 minutes and an RTO of 2 hours. The company wants to minimize costs while meeting these requirements. Which of the following should you recommend?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with automated backups configured for 35-day retention and a backup storage redundancy of Locally Redundant Storage (LRS)
Meets all requirements cost-effectively.
B
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with active geo-replication to a secondary region
Why wrong: Adds cost and complexity; not needed for PITR.
C
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with long-term retention (LTR) backups
Why wrong: LTR is for retention >35 days, not for PITR.
D
Use Azure SQL Database with the Hyperscale service tier
Why wrong: Not a managed instance; does not have the same backup capabilities.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with automated backups configured for 35-day retention and a backup storage redundancy of Locally Redundant Storage (LRS)
Azure SQL Managed Instance provides built-in automated backups with configurable retention. Option A is correct because it meets the RPO (backups every 5-10 min) and RTO (restore within hours) with PITR retention up to 35 days. Option B is wrong because geo-replication is for disaster recovery, not PITR. Option C is wrong because long-term retention is for backups older than 35 days. Option D is wrong because cost savings are not guaranteed for the backup storage.
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.
✓
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with automated backups configured for 35-day retention and a backup storage redundancy of Locally Redundant Storage (LRS)
Why this is correct
Meets all requirements cost-effectively.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with active geo-replication to a secondary region
Why it's wrong here
Adds cost and complexity; not needed for PITR.
✗
Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with long-term retention (LTR) backups
Why it's wrong here
LTR is for retention >35 days, not for PITR.
✗
Use Azure SQL Database with the Hyperscale service tier
Why it's wrong here
Not a managed instance; does not have the same backup capabilities.
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
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.
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 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: Use Azure SQL Managed Instance with automated backups configured for 35-day retention and a backup storage redundancy of Locally Redundant Storage (LRS) — Azure SQL Managed Instance provides built-in automated backups with configurable retention. Option A is correct because it meets the RPO (backups every 5-10 min) and RTO (restore within hours) with PITR retention up to 35 days. Option B is wrong because geo-replication is for disaster recovery, not PITR. Option C is wrong because long-term retention is for backups older than 35 days. Option D is wrong because cost savings are not guaranteed for the backup storage.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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