1 · Exam Format & Scoring
- 40–60 questions in 120 minutes (includes case studies)
- Passing score: ~700 / 1000 (scaled; not a straight percentage)
- Case study sections appear first — you cannot return to them once you leave
- Standalone questions allow review & flagging before submission
- No penalty for guessing — never leave blanks
Tip: The scaled scoring means harder questions carry more weight. Focus on accuracy over speed.
2 · Scored Domains & Weights
Key insight: Business Continuity is only 10–15% but is where many candidates lose easy marks — don't skip it, but don't over-invest either.
3 · Question Types & Strategies
Type
- Multiple Choice
- Multi-Select
- Drag & Drop
- Hot Area (click image)
- Case Study
What to Expect
- Pick 1 best answer from 4
- "Choose 2/3" — partial credit possible
- Sequence or match items
- Click correct area on a diagram/config
- Shared scenario, 4–6 linked questions
Strategy
- Eliminate 2 wrong → pick best remaining
- Read carefully how many to select
- Identify anchors first, fill gaps
- Read ALL labels before clicking
- Read requirements tab first, note constraints
4 · Time Management
- Case studies: Budget ~20 min total (they appear first, can't revisit)
- Standalone: ~1.5–2 min per question on average
- Flagging: Flag anything taking >3 min, move on, revisit at end
- Pacing check: At question 20, you should have ~80 min left
Pro tip: Read the case study requirements/constraints tabs BEFORE the scenario overview — they tell you what to look for.
5 · Reading AZ-305 Scenarios
Decode in this order:
- Requirements: Functional (what must it do?) vs Non-functional (perf, cost, compliance)
- Constraints: Budget limits, existing infrastructure, team skill level
- Key phrases → Services:
| Phrase | Signals |
|---|---|
| "minimize administrative effort" | PaaS / managed services |
| "lowest cost" | Consumption-based / serverless / B-series |
| "data sovereignty" | Geo-restrictions, Azure Policy, paired regions |
| "real-time analytics" | Event Hubs, Stream Analytics, Cosmos DB change feed |
| "lift and shift" | VMs, ASR, Azure Migrate |
| "multiple identity providers" | Azure AD B2C / External Identities |
| "RPO < 1 hour" | Geo-replication, ASR continuous, Cosmos DB multi-write |
6 · Common Traps
These are OPPOSITE goals. Cost-effective → smallest SKU that meets requirements. Best performance → premium tier regardless of cost. Read which one the question asks.
Always means choose the MOST MANAGED option. IaaS < PaaS < SaaS. Custom code < built-in feature.
Microsoft deliberately places a "pretty good" answer as option A or B to trap fast readers. ALWAYS read ALL options before selecting.
The proposed solution usually does NOT meet the goal. If you're unsure, statistically "No" is more common — but verify the logic.
7 · Decision Frameworks to Memorize
- Compute selection: VMs → App Service → Functions → AKS → Container Apps (Lesson 019)
- Data storage: Relational → Cosmos DB → Blob → Data Lake → Table (Lesson 022)
- Load balancer: Traffic Manager (DNS) → Front Door (global L7) → App GW (regional L7) → LB (L4) (Lesson 010)
- Identity: Entra ID → B2C → External Identities → Managed Identity (Lesson 003/032)
- DR tier: Backup → Pilot Light → Warm Standby → Hot/Active-Active (Lesson 036)
Exam day: Sketch these decision trees on your provided whiteboard in the first 5 minutes before starting questions.
8 · 2-Week Study Plan
| Days | Focus | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Weak domains | Re-study lessons in your lowest-scoring domain |
| 4–6 | Practice tests | Full-length timed practice exam (MeasureUp/Whizlabs) |
| 7–8 | Gap analysis | Review wrong answers, note patterns |
| 9–11 | Targeted review | Deep-dive into missed topics, redo labs |
| 12–13 | Final practice | Second full practice exam, target >80% |
| 14 | Rest & review | Light review of frameworks only, sleep well |
Community tip: Don't cram new material the night before. Trust your preparation and get 7+ hours of sleep.