AZ-305 is the required exam for Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert. It validates Azure infrastructure design decisions, not day-to-day administration tasks.
AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions measures whether you can recommend Azure designs that meet business, technical, security, resiliency, and cost requirements. The focus is architecture: choosing between App Service, Functions, AKS, Container Apps, VM Scale Sets, Azure SQL, Managed Instance, Cosmos DB, Front Door, Application Gateway, ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, Private Link, Azure Backup, and Site Recovery based on scenario constraints.
Microsoft describes the Azure solutions architect as someone who designs cloud and hybrid solutions across compute, network, storage, monitoring, and security. Candidates should have advanced IT operations knowledge across networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance, plus experience with Azure operations, development, and DevOps processes.
To earn Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Microsoft currently requires Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Associate in addition to passing AZ-305. Treat that prerequisite as part of the credential path, while keeping the exam itself focused on architecture design. AZ-104 validates administration skills; AZ-305 asks how those operational pieces should be designed into an overall Azure solution.
If you are new to architecture, start by learning how requirements drive design. For identity and governance, compare Microsoft Entra ID, RBAC, management groups, subscriptions, Azure Policy, and Key Vault. For infrastructure, compare Virtual Networks, Azure Firewall, Front Door, Load Balancer, Traffic Manager, Private Endpoints, App Service, AKS, Functions, and VM Scale Sets. For continuity, compare Availability Zones, Azure Backup, Site Recovery, geo-redundancy, and database failover choices.
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Official and vendor docs used to ground this page.
Official Microsoft certification page for Azure Solutions Architect Expert, including role description, prerequisite certification, required AZ-305 exam, and assessed skills.
Official AZ-305 study guide with the current audience profile, skills measured, domain ranges, and detailed solution architecture objectives.
Explains Azure Blob Storage access tiers, useful when designing storage solutions that balance performance, retention, and cost.
Explains reliability targets and metrics used when designing Azure architectures for availability and recovery objectives.
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