Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305
Follow a topic roadmap built from the published exam blueprint, with lessons, practice exercises and practice exams.
Validates expertise in designing cloud and hybrid solutions on Microsoft Azure, covering compute, network, storage, monitoring, and security.
What you'll learn
Every objective AZ-305 publishes, and what it asks you to be able to do.
- Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutionsDesign authentication and authorization solutions. Design governance. Design solutions for logging and monitoring.
- Design data storage solutionsDesign data storage solutions for relational data. Design data storage solutions for semi-structured and unstructured data. Design data integration.
- Design business continuity solutionsDesign for high availability. Design solutions for backup and disaster recovery.
- Design infrastructure solutionsDesign network solutions. Design compute solutions. Design an application architecture. Design migrations.
The exam at a glance
- Length
- 100 minutes
- Cost
- 165 USD
- Validity
- 1 year
- Style
- Multiple choice
questions only. Based on AZ-305.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
Sitting the exam
The part nobody publishes in a syllabus. For AZ-305 the logistics are study strategy: what you are allowed to read while the clock runs changes how you should practise, and what a second attempt costs changes when you should book.
Where you sit it
- The cost of the test depends upon the nation or area where it is administered.
Booking it
- Signing up with a personal MSA profile is strongly advised.
- Your testing history cannot be recovered if you use a work or school account and subsequently depart your company.
Read off the official exam page on 10 September 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm anything you are about to spend money on.
What the exam covers
Microsoft publishes the objectives but not a weight for each one, so treat these as equally likely to come up.
Course content
28 topics
1. Azure Core Concepts and Resource Management
Core Azure services, resource management, subscriptions, and resource groups.
2. Azure Geography and Availability
Azure regions, availability zones, and the Azure portal.
3. Azure Active Directory and Identity Basics
- Design authentication and authorization solutions
4. Advanced Identity Security
Conditional access, multi-factor authentication, and identity protection for securing Azure resources.
5. Azure Policy and Resource Control
- Design governance
6. Cost Management and Compliance
Cost management, tagging strategies, and compliance standards for Azure governance.
7. Azure Monitor and Log Analytics
- Design solutions for logging and monitoring
8. Advanced Monitoring and Diagnostics
Diagnostic settings and workbooks for comprehensive monitoring solutions.
9. Virtual Networks and Security
- Design network solutions
10. Network Security and Firewall
Azure Firewall, private connectivity, and service endpoints for secure networking.
11. Load Balancing and Hybrid Connectivity
Load balancers, application gateway, traffic manager, VPN, and ExpressRoute for connectivity.
12. Virtual Machine Solutions
- Design compute solutions
13. Container and Orchestration Solutions
Azure Kubernetes Service and Container Instances for containerized workloads.
14. Platform-as-a-Service Compute
App Services, Azure Functions, and Batch for serverless and managed compute.
15. Azure SQL Database Solutions
- Design data storage solutions for relational data
16. Open Source Database Solutions
Azure Database for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and read replicas for open source databases.
17. Azure Storage Accounts and Blob Storage
- Design data storage solutions for semi-structured and unstructured data
18. Table, Queue, and NoSQL Storage
Table Storage, Queue Storage, Cosmos DB, and replication options for diverse data needs.
19. Data Factory and Synapse Analytics
- Design data integration
20. Event and Message Integration
Event Hubs, Event Grid, and Service Bus for event-driven and message-based integration.
21. High Availability Infrastructure
- Design for high availability
22. Service-Level High Availability
Load balancing for HA and database HA options for resilient services.
23. Azure Backup Solutions
- Design solutions for backup and disaster recovery
24. Disaster Recovery Solutions
Azure Site Recovery, geo-replication, and cross-region restore for disaster recovery.
25. Application Architecture Patterns
- Design an application architecture
26. Performance and Content Delivery
Caching strategies and CDN integration for application performance optimization.
27. Migration Assessment and Planning
- Design migrations
28. Migration Execution
Database Migration Service, migration waves, and cutover planning for executing migrations.
What to know before you start
- Advanced experience and knowledge of IT operations including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance
- Experience with Azure administration
- Experience with Azure development
- DevOps processes
Other Microsoft certifications
All Microsoft certificationsFrequently asked questions
How much does the AZ-305 exam cost?
165 USD. Confirm it on Microsoft's page before you book: exam fees change.
How long is the AZ-305 exam?
100 minutes. questions only.
How many questions are on the AZ-305 exam?
questions only. The sitting is 100 minutes long. Check the current count with Microsoft before you book.
How long is AZ-305 valid?
1 year. Check Microsoft's recertification route before it lapses.
Is the AZ-305 exam hands-on?
No. It is a written exam, so the skill it tests is recognising the right design or command rather than executing it under time pressure.
What is on the AZ-305 exam?
4 objectives: Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions, Design data storage solutions, Design business continuity solutions, Design infrastructure solutions. Microsoft does not publish a weight per objective.
What should I know before starting AZ-305?
Advanced experience and knowledge of IT operations including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance. Experience with Azure administration. Experience with Azure development. DevOps processes.
AZ-305 vs SC-900: what is the difference?
AZ-305: 100 minutes, 165 USD, multiple choice, expert level. SC-900: 45 minutes, 99 USD, multiple choice, foundational level. Both are Microsoft exams with their own guide on this site.
Exam details from Microsoft. Always confirm on their page before booking.
What learners say about Acelro
About Acelro rather than the AZ-305 exam: what learners made of the gap analysis, the roadmap and the projects.
“The roadmap makes me focus on a learning curve, no matter the length.”
“Acelro has been really great for me, an inspiring experience. I've gained a lot of confidence doing projects I thought were rocket science.”
“The gap analysis maps your actual skills against what the current job market is asking for. Nobody else made it that clear where I stood.”
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