- A
Use Azure Traffic Manager to distribute traffic to both regions with active-passive configuration. Configure Azure SQL Database auto-failover groups. Deploy a second Azure Cache for Redis in the secondary region.
Why wrong: Traffic Manager does not replicate VMs; auto-failover groups for SQL Database are more costly than geo-restore; second Redis instance adds cost.
- B
Configure Azure SQL Database active geo-replication with a readable secondary. Use Azure Site Recovery for VMs. Enable Azure Cache for Redis data persistence and replicate the cache using Azure Files.
Why wrong: Active geo-replication is more expensive than geo-restore and not needed for 1-hour RPO; replicating Redis via Azure Files is complex.
- C
Back up the VMs using Azure Backup with a 1-hour frequency. Use Azure SQL Database backup with short-term retention. Manually recreate the Redis cache in the secondary region.
Why wrong: Azure Backup for VMs may not restore within 2 hours; SQL Database backup restore RTO can be unpredictable.
- D
Use Azure Site Recovery to replicate the VMs to a secondary region. For Azure SQL Database, enable geo-redundant backup storage and use geo-restore during failover. For Azure Cache for Redis, document the reconfiguration steps to point to a new cache in the secondary region.
Azure Site Recovery meets RPO/RTO for VMs; geo-restore for SQL Database meets the 1-hour RPO and restores within minutes; Redis reconfiguration is manual but acceptable.
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.
You are the Azure architect for a financial services company. The company runs a proprietary trading application on Azure Virtual Machines in the East US region. The application stores state in Azure Cache for Redis (Standard tier) and uses Azure SQL Database (General Purpose tier) for persistent data. The business has set a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 1 hour and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 2 hours for the entire application. The solution must minimize costs. You have been asked to design a disaster recovery plan. Which approach 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.
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
Use Azure Site Recovery to replicate the VMs to a secondary region. For Azure SQL Database, enable geo-redundant backup storage and use geo-restore during failover. For Azure Cache for Redis, document the reconfiguration steps to point to a new cache in the secondary region.
Option A is correct because Azure Site Recovery for VMs meets the 1-hour RPO and 2-hour RTO at low cost; Azure SQL Database geo-redundant backup restore can achieve RTO of 1 hour (using geo-restore) and RPO of 1 hour; for Redis, reconfiguration is acceptable. Option B is wrong because Azure Traffic Manager alone does not provide replication. Option C is wrong because active geo-replication for SQL Database is more expensive than geo-restore. Option D is wrong because Azure Backup for VMs has minimum RPO of 1 hour but restore time may exceed 2 hours.
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 Traffic Manager to distribute traffic to both regions with active-passive configuration. Configure Azure SQL Database auto-failover groups. Deploy a second Azure Cache for Redis in the secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
Traffic Manager does not replicate VMs; auto-failover groups for SQL Database are more costly than geo-restore; second Redis instance adds cost.
- ✗
Configure Azure SQL Database active geo-replication with a readable secondary. Use Azure Site Recovery for VMs. Enable Azure Cache for Redis data persistence and replicate the cache using Azure Files.
Why it's wrong here
Active geo-replication is more expensive than geo-restore and not needed for 1-hour RPO; replicating Redis via Azure Files is complex.
- ✗
Back up the VMs using Azure Backup with a 1-hour frequency. Use Azure SQL Database backup with short-term retention. Manually recreate the Redis cache in the secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Backup for VMs may not restore within 2 hours; SQL Database backup restore RTO can be unpredictable.
- ✓
Use Azure Site Recovery to replicate the VMs to a secondary region. For Azure SQL Database, enable geo-redundant backup storage and use geo-restore during failover. For Azure Cache for Redis, document the reconfiguration steps to point to a new cache in the secondary region.
Why this is correct
Azure Site Recovery meets RPO/RTO for VMs; geo-restore for SQL Database meets the 1-hour RPO and restores within minutes; Redis reconfiguration is manual but acceptable.
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.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
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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: Use Azure Site Recovery to replicate the VMs to a secondary region. For Azure SQL Database, enable geo-redundant backup storage and use geo-restore during failover. For Azure Cache for Redis, document the reconfiguration steps to point to a new cache in the secondary region. — Option A is correct because Azure Site Recovery for VMs meets the 1-hour RPO and 2-hour RTO at low cost; Azure SQL Database geo-redundant backup restore can achieve RTO of 1 hour (using geo-restore) and RPO of 1 hour; for Redis, reconfiguration is acceptable. Option B is wrong because Azure Traffic Manager alone does not provide replication. Option C is wrong because active geo-replication for SQL Database is more expensive than geo-restore. Option D is wrong because Azure Backup for VMs has minimum RPO of 1 hour but restore time may exceed 2 hours.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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