The correct combination is Azure Storage encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault and Azure Monitor. This works because customer-managed keys (CMK) give your organization full control over the encryption keys used for Azure Blob Storage at rest, while Azure Key Vault stores those keys and can log every key operation—such as key creation, rotation, or access—directly to Azure Monitor. On the AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of data encryption and auditing requirements for sensitive documents, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose Microsoft-managed keys (which lack key control) or Azure Disk Encryption (which applies only to VM disks, not Blob Storage). The key insight is that Blob Storage encryption with CMK inherently requires Key Vault for key management, and Azure Monitor provides the necessary audit trail for key access. Memory tip: think “Blob + Key Vault + Monitor” as the three-legged stool for secure, auditable storage encryption.
AZ-305 Design infrastructure solutions Practice Question
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design infrastructure 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 designing a solution to store sensitive documents in Azure Blob Storage. The data must be encrypted at rest and access must be audited. You need to ensure that the encryption keys are managed by your organization and that access to the keys is logged. Which combination of Azure services should you use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Storage encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault and Azure Monitor
Option B is correct because using customer-managed keys (CMK) with Azure Key Vault allows you to control encryption keys and enable logging for key access. Azure Storage encryption with CMK requires Key Vault for key storage. Option A uses Microsoft-managed keys, which do not provide key control. Option C uses Azure Information Protection, which is for classification, not storage encryption. Option D uses Azure Disk Encryption, which is for VM disks, not Blob Storage.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 Storage encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault and Azure Monitor
Why this is correct
Customer-managed keys provide control and key access logging via Key Vault diagnostics.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Azure Disk Encryption with Azure Key Vault
Why it's wrong here
Azure Disk Encryption is for virtual machine disks, not Blob Storage.
✗
Azure Storage encryption with Microsoft-managed keys and Azure Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft-managed keys do not give you control over keys; auditing may be limited.
✗
Azure Information Protection and Azure Sentinel
Why it's wrong here
Azure Information Protection is for classification, not storage encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related AZ-305 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Design infrastructure solutions — This question tests Design infrastructure solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Storage encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault and Azure Monitor — Option B is correct because using customer-managed keys (CMK) with Azure Key Vault allows you to control encryption keys and enable logging for key access. Azure Storage encryption with CMK requires Key Vault for key storage. Option A uses Microsoft-managed keys, which do not provide key control. Option C uses Azure Information Protection, which is for classification, not storage encryption. Option D uses Azure Disk Encryption, which is for VM disks, not Blob Storage.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related AZ-305 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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 →
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.
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.