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Guided by A Guide to Cloud
Explore AB-900 AI-901
AZ-305

Azure Solutions Architect
Expert

The Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification. Learn to design cloud and hybrid solutions — identity, data, BCDR, compute, networking — explained through real architecture decisions and tradeoffs.

📖

Study Guide

30 interactive modules

Domain 3 (Business Continuity — 5 modules) + 22 practice questions.

Start Free →
✍️

Practice Exam

200 exam-style questions

Study mode with explanations + timed exam simulation. 22 free questions.

Try Free Questions →

30

Modules

200

Questions

4

Domains

Free

Domain 3 included

📝 Sample Question

An architect needs to migrate 200 SQL Server databases with SQL Agent jobs and CLR assemblies to Azure with minimal code changes. Which target should they recommend?

A. Azure SQL Database
B. Azure SQL Managed Instance ✓
C. SQL Server on Azure VMs

📊 What you'll cover

Design Identity, Governance, and Monitoring Solutions 7 modules
Design Data Storage Solutions 6 modules
Design Business Continuity Solutions (Free) 5 modules
Design Infrastructure Solutions 12 modules

What you'll learn

🏗️

Architecture Decisions

Every module teaches HOW to design — not just what services exist. Real tradeoffs, real scenarios.

⚖️

Service Comparisons

SQL DB vs MI vs VM, VPN vs ExpressRoute, Event Grid vs Event Hubs — the comparisons the exam tests hardest.

🛡️

Well-Architected Framework

Reliability, security, cost, performance, operational excellence — woven into every design decision.

🌐

Full Network Design

Three dedicated networking modules: connectivity, security, and load balancing — the highest-yield exam area.

Full Curriculum

30 interactive modules across 4 exam domains

1

Design Identity, Governance, and Monitoring Solutions

7 modules

Premium

Monitoring & logging design, authentication, identity management, authorization, secrets & Key Vault, governance hierarchy, and compliance with Azure Policy and PIM.

  1. 1Monitoring & Logging Design
  2. 2Choosing Authentication Methods
  3. 3Designing Identity Management
  4. 4Authorizing Access to Resources
  5. 5Secrets, Keys & Certificates
  6. 6Governance at Scale
  7. 7Compliance & Identity Governance
Preview Domain
2

Design Data Storage Solutions

6 modules

Premium

Relational data platform selection, database performance & scalability, database security, Cosmos DB & semi-structured data, unstructured storage, and data integration & analytics.

  1. 1Relational Data: Choosing Your SQL Platform
  2. 2Database Performance & Scalability
  3. 3Database Security & Compliance
  4. 4Cosmos DB & Semi-Structured Data
  5. 5Blob, Data Lake & Azure Files
  6. 6Data Integration & Analytics
Preview Domain
3

Design Business Continuity Solutions

5 modules

Free

Recovery objectives (RPO/RTO/SLA), backup & recovery for compute and data, high availability for compute and data. The foundation of every resilient architecture.

  1. 1Recovery Objectives: RPO, RTO & SLA
  2. 2Backup & Recovery for Compute
  3. 3Backup for Databases & Unstructured Data
  4. 4High Availability for Compute
  5. 5High Availability for Data
Start Free →
4

Design Infrastructure Solutions

12 modules

Premium

Compute (VMs, containers, serverless, batch), messaging & events, API & caching, deployment automation, migration (CAF, 5 R's), and network design (connectivity, security, load balancing).

  1. 1Compute Design: VMs
  2. 2Container Solutions
  3. 3Serverless & Batch
  4. 4Messaging Architecture
  5. 5Event-Driven Architecture
  6. 6API Integration & Caching
  7. 7App Configuration & Deployment
  8. 8Migration Strategy
  9. 9Executing Migrations
  10. 10Network Connectivity
  11. 11Network Security & Performance
  12. 12Load Balancing & Routing
Preview Domain

Practice Exam Lab

200 original questions — two study modes

📖

Study Mode

Learn as you go

  • ✓ See explanation after each question
  • ✓ "Why wrong" for every option
  • ✓ Real-world context & exam tips
  • ✓ Microsoft Learn links
⏱️

Exam Mode

Simulate the real thing

  • ✓ 100 minutes timed session
  • ✓ Randomised question order
  • ✓ Score breakdown by domain
  • ✓ Pass/fail against 700 / 1000
1

Identity, Governance & Monitoring

55 questions · Exam weight: 25-30%

5 Free

12

Easy

28

Medium

15

Hard

Every question includes a scenario, detailed explanation, and a link to Microsoft Learn.

Preview Questions
2

Data Storage Solutions

50 questions · Exam weight: 20-25%

5 Free

10

Easy

25

Medium

15

Hard

Every question includes a scenario, detailed explanation, and a link to Microsoft Learn.

Preview Questions
3

Business Continuity

35 questions · Exam weight: 15-20%

7 Free

8

Easy

18

Medium

9

Hard

Every question includes a scenario, detailed explanation, and a link to Microsoft Learn.

Try Free Questions →
4

Infrastructure Solutions

60 questions · Exam weight: 30-35%

5 Free

12

Easy

30

Medium

18

Hard

Every question includes a scenario, detailed explanation, and a link to Microsoft Learn.

Preview Questions

🎁 Free tier: 22 questions. No account needed.

Choose your path

Start free. Upgrade when you're ready.

Practice Exam

$14

one-time purchase

  • ✓ 200 exam-style questions
  • ✓ Study mode + Exam mode
  • ✓ Detailed explanations

Study Guide

$19

one-time purchase

  • ✓ 30 interactive modules
  • ✓ Flashcards & ELI5
  • ✓ Progress tracking
Recommended

Complete Bundle

$29

save $4

  • ✓ Everything in both
  • ★ Best value

🎁 Free tier: Domain 3 (Business Continuity — 5 modules) + 22 practice questions. No account needed.

About the AZ-305 Exam

Exam code
AZ-305
Duration
100 minutes
Passing score
700 / 1000
Question types
MCQ, multi-select, case studies
Cost
$165 USD

Exam Domains & Weights

D1: Identity, Governance & Monitoring (25-30%)
D2: Data Storage Solutions (20-25%)
D3: Business Continuity (15-20%)
D4: Infrastructure Solutions (30-35%)
View on Microsoft Learn →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AZ-305 harder than AZ-104?
Yes — AZ-305 is Expert-level focused on DESIGN decisions, not admin tasks. It assumes you already know how to manage Azure resources (AZ-104 level knowledge).
What's included in the free tier?
Domain 3 (Business Continuity — 5 modules) plus practice questions. Covers RPO/RTO, backup, disaster recovery, and high availability.
How is this different from Microsoft Learn?
Microsoft Learn is a reference. Guided is a study experience — every module teaches through architecture decisions, tradeoff comparisons, and scenario-based quizzes.
Do I need AZ-104 first?
AZ-104 (or equivalent experience) is recommended. AZ-305 assumes you understand Azure services — it teaches you when to choose and how to combine them.

Ready to start?

Try the free tier. Upgrade when you're ready to pass.

Start Free → Try Practice Quiz

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© 2026 Sutheesh. All rights reserved.

Guided is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Microsoft. Microsoft, Azure, and related trademarks are property of Microsoft Corporation. Always verify information against Microsoft Learn.