Introduction
The AZ-305 (Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions) earns you the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert badge. Unlike AZ-104, which tests whether you can operate Azure, AZ-305 tests whether you can design Azure solutions that meet business and technical requirements — security, cost, performance, reliability, and operations — without painting yourself into a corner.
This guide covers the 2026 AZ-305 objectives, what’s actually tested, the case-study-heavy format, prerequisites, and a realistic 10–14 week study plan for working professionals.
Who AZ-305 Is For
AZ-305 is the right exam if you:
- Already hold AZ-104 (required for the Expert designation, not the AZ-305 exam itself)
- Have 1–2+ years of Azure design or hands-on experience
- Make architecture decisions at work — even informally — about identity, networking, data, and migration
- Want to move into cloud architect, solutions architect, or principal engineer roles
If you’re brand-new to Azure, AZ-305 will feel impossible. Build foundational depth with AZ-104 first.
AZ-305 Exam Specifications
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code | AZ-305 |
| Title | Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions |
| Format | Case studies (2–3), multi-choice, multi-select, drag-and-drop, hot-area |
| Questions | 40–60 |
| Duration | 120 minutes testing |
| Passing score | 700 / 1000 (scaled) |
| Cost | $165 USD |
| Prerequisite for badge | AZ-104 must be active to earn the Azure Solutions Architect Expert designation |
| Validity | 1 year (free renewal via Microsoft Learn assessment) |
Important: Passing AZ-305 alone doesn’t make you a “Solutions Architect Expert.” You need active AZ-104. If your AZ-104 expires, your Expert designation expires too — even if AZ-305 is still active.
AZ-305 Domains (Current 2026 Objectives)
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions | 25–30% |
| Design data storage solutions | 25–30% |
| Design business continuity solutions | 10–15% |
| Design infrastructure solutions | 25–30% |
Notice these are design domains, not “implement” or “manage.” Every question asks “what’s the best way to architect…”, not “which command runs…”.
Domain 1: Design Identity, Governance, and Monitoring (25–30%)
- Identity: Microsoft Entra ID design for hybrid identity (Entra Connect, Entra Connect Cloud Sync, password hash sync, pass-through authentication, federation)
- Authentication and authorization: Conditional Access policies, MFA, PIM, identity protection
- Governance: management group hierarchies, Azure Policy at scale, RBAC and custom role strategy
- Monitoring: Azure Monitor, Log Analytics workspace design (centralized vs. distributed), alerting strategies
- Cost management: budgets, alerts, tagging strategy, reservations and savings plans
Domain 2: Design Data Storage Solutions (25–30%)
- Relational data: when to use Azure SQL Database vs. SQL Managed Instance vs. SQL on VM; PostgreSQL/MySQL Flexible Server
- Non-relational data: Cosmos DB consistency levels, partition key design, API choice (Core SQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Gremlin, Table)
- Big data and analytics: Azure Synapse, Data Lake Storage Gen2, Azure Data Factory
- Object storage: Blob lifecycle, access tier design, immutability
- Integration: Event Grid, Event Hubs, Service Bus, Azure Queue Storage — when each is the right tool
Domain 3: Design Business Continuity Solutions (10–15%)
Smallest by weight, but every question is worth real points:
- Backup strategy: Azure Backup for VMs, files, SQL, blob; retention policies, recovery objectives (RPO, RTO)
- Disaster recovery: Azure Site Recovery, paired regions, active-active vs. active-passive design
- High availability: availability zones vs. availability sets vs. region pairs; zone-redundant services
Domain 4: Design Infrastructure Solutions (25–30%)
- Compute: VM vs. App Service vs. Functions vs. AKS vs. Container Apps vs. Container Instances — choosing based on workload
- Networking: hub-and-spoke vs. Virtual WAN, ExpressRoute design, private endpoints, Azure Firewall placement
- Application architecture: event-driven, microservices, serverless patterns
- Migration: Azure Migrate assessments, lift-and-shift vs. refactor vs. rebuild trade-offs
Case Study Format
AZ-305 leans heavily on case studies. Expect 2–3 case studies, each with 4–7 questions, plus standalone questions. Each case study includes:
- Overview: company background and strategic goals
- Existing environment: current architecture, on-premises systems
- Requirements: functional, technical, security, compliance, cost
- Issues: specific pain points to solve
- Planned changes: what’s already decided
- Constraints: what cannot change
The right answer is the one that meets all the stated requirements while respecting the constraints. A technically excellent answer that violates a requirement is wrong.
Tip: Read the entire case study first, then answer the questions. Don’t try to read just the parts the first question seems to reference — later questions reuse the same context with different angles.
What Makes AZ-305 Hard
- Trade-off thinking. Most questions have multiple technically correct answers; you must pick the one that best satisfies the stated priorities (cost, security, performance, or reliability).
- Service positioning. Choosing between Cosmos DB and Azure SQL, or App Service and AKS, requires nuanced knowledge of cost, latency, scaling, and operational overhead.
- Hybrid scenarios. Entra Connect topologies, ExpressRoute design, and migration patterns are heavy on the exam.
- No room for “just throw money at it.” Cost-effectiveness is an explicit constraint on most case studies.
Recommended 10–14 Week Study Plan
Weeks 1–2: Identity and Governance Design
- Hybrid identity topologies
- Conditional Access strategy and PIM
- Management group hierarchies and policy at scale
Weeks 3–4: Data Storage Design
- Relational vs. non-relational decision frameworks
- Cosmos DB consistency, partitioning, API choice
- Analytics: Synapse, Data Lake, Data Factory positioning
Weeks 5–6: Business Continuity
- RPO/RTO planning
- Azure Backup design
- ASR scenarios for VM, physical, and Azure-to-Azure recovery
- HA patterns and zone-redundant services
Weeks 7–9: Infrastructure Design
- Compute decision tree
- Networking topologies (hub-and-spoke, Virtual WAN)
- Migration planning with Azure Migrate
- Event-driven and microservices patterns
Weeks 10–11: Case Study Practice
- Work through every official Microsoft case study sample
- Practice writing your own trade-off analyses
Weeks 12–14: Mock Exams and Final Review
- 3+ full-length mocks from Sailor.sh’s AZ-305 mock exam bundle
- Targeted re-study based on results
- Architecture diagram practice
Resources
- Microsoft Learn AZ-305 learning path — official, free
- Azure Architecture Center — reference architectures and decision guides (extremely high-yield)
- Well-Architected Framework documentation — five pillars used as exam scaffolding
- Cloud Adoption Framework — governance and landing zone patterns
- Sailor.sh AZ-305 mock exam bundle — exam-format case studies and standalone questions
Salary and Career Impact
The Azure Solutions Architect Expert designation is one of the highest-paid Azure credentials:
- US average: $135K–$185K for “Solutions Architect + AZ-305”
- UK average: £75K–£110K
- India average: ₹18L–₹40L
It’s also a common requirement for senior architect roles at Microsoft Partner organizations and Fortune 500 enterprise IT teams.
AZ-305 vs. AWS Solutions Architect Professional
| Dimension | AZ-305 | AWS SAP-C02 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $165 | $300 |
| Duration | 120 min | 180 min |
| Questions | 40–60 | 75 |
| Difficulty | Hard | Harder (broader service set) |
| Prerequisites | AZ-104 (for badge) | None official; SAA recommended |
| Validity | 1 year (free renewal) | 3 years |
Both certifications carry significant weight. AZ-305 is the shorter exam with a free renewal path. AWS SAP-C02 covers a broader service surface area and is generally considered the tougher exam by experienced architects.
Most Common Reasons People Fail AZ-305
- Treating AZ-305 like AZ-104. Memorizing services without understanding when to choose each gets you to ~600 of the required 700.
- Skipping the Architecture Center. Microsoft’s reference architectures are essentially exam blueprints.
- Practicing only standalone questions. Without case-study practice, the exam format alone costs you 10+ percentage points.
- Underestimating identity and governance. It’s the largest domain and the one most candidates underprepare for.
- Ignoring cost optimization. Cost-effectiveness questions appear in nearly every case study.
After You Pass
Once you hold both AZ-104 and AZ-305, you’re a Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert. Strong next steps:
- AZ-400 (DevOps Engineer Expert): add DevOps to your architect profile
- AZ-500 (Security Engineer): for security-focused architects
- AI-102 (AI Engineer): for AI workload design
- Cross-cloud: AWS SAP-C02 or GCP Professional Cloud Architect for multi-cloud architect credibility
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need AZ-104 to take AZ-305? A: Not to take AZ-305 — but you need active AZ-104 to earn the Azure Solutions Architect Expert designation. Most candidates take AZ-104 first.
Q: How hard is AZ-305 compared to AZ-104? A: AZ-305 is conceptually harder but doesn’t require live labs. It rewards architectural judgment over technical recall. Many find it harder; experienced architects sometimes find it easier than AZ-104.
Q: How long should I prepare for AZ-305? A: 10–14 weeks for working professionals with 1–2 years of Azure experience. Up to 20 weeks if you’re transitioning from a different cloud or on-premises role.
Q: What’s the best way to prepare for case studies? A: Study Microsoft Architecture Center reference designs, then practice case studies from Sailor.sh’s AZ-305 mock exam bundle under timed conditions.
Q: Will I see live Azure labs on AZ-305? A: No. AZ-305 is design-focused, all multiple-choice and scenario-based.
Q: How do I renew AZ-305? A: Pass the free Microsoft Learn renewal assessment within 6 months before the 1-year expiration. Both AZ-104 and AZ-305 must be active to keep the Expert designation.
Ready to Start?
AZ-305 isn’t an exam you brute-force — it rewards architectural judgment, exposure to real-world Azure design problems, and disciplined case-study practice. The candidates who pass first time invest 10–14 focused weeks, study Microsoft’s Architecture Center alongside the official content, and drill case studies until trade-off thinking is automatic.
Start by taking a free AZ-305 diagnostic test on Sailor.sh to see where your design intuition stands today. Then work the full AZ-305 mock exam bundle until you consistently score 80%+ on case studies.