Azure AZ-305 Exam Update: Identity, Data and Continuity Emphasis

1. AZ-305 as the Core Azure Architect Design Exam

Exam AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions is the key design-focused exam for Azure Solutions Architect roles. It builds on administrator-level skills and tests whether you can design identity, data, networking and business continuity for real-world Azure solutions.

The latest update to AZ-305 keeps the overall structure but adjusts emphasis on identity, data and continuity to match how organizations are using Azure in production.

2. Identity, Access and Governance as a Foundation

Modern Azure architectures begin with identity and governance. AZ-305 exam questions frequently involve:

• Designing Azure AD tenant structure, conditional access and MFA.
• Choosing the right role-based access control (RBAC) approach for resources and subscriptions.
• Implementing management groups, policies and blueprints for governance at scale.

For cloud architects, identity is no longer just an afterthought—it's the starting point for secure designs.

3. Data Storage and Integration Design

The AZ-305 update also reinforces the importance of data storage and integration:

• Selecting the appropriate storage options (Blob, Files, Managed Disks, Databases) for workload needs.
• Designing data protection, encryption, backup and retention strategies.
• Planning connectivity between data services, on-premises systems and other clouds.

You are expected to know not only what each service does, but how to combine them into a cohesive data strategy.

4. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR)

Another key area in AZ-305 is business continuity:

• Translating RPO and RTO requirements into real Azure designs.
• Planning backup, restore and failover strategies using Azure Backup and Site Recovery.
• Deciding when to use availability zones, regions and geo-redundant storage.

Microsoft expects Azure architects to be capable of designing end-to-end BCDR solutions, not just enabling a single feature.

5. Preparing for AZ-305 with a Structured Approach

A solid AZ-305 study plan typically includes:

• Reading the official AZ-305 exam skills outline on Microsoft Learn.
• Hands-on labs designing identity, data and continuity for sample workloads.
• A structured course or book that maps directly to the exam skills.
• An AZ-305 question bank for scenario-based practice.

Focus on understanding why a particular design is chosen, not just which Azure service is used.

Article Details

• Exam: AZ-305 – Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions
• Track: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
• Focus: Identity, governance, data and BCDR design

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