How to Become an Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) — Full Step-by-Step Guide 2025
If you’re aiming to architect cloud solutions that are secure, resilient, and cost-effective, the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is one of the most respected badges you can earn. It proves you can translate business needs into real-world Azure designs—and lead teams to build them well. In this ultimate guide, you’ll get everything you need to know: who the certification is for, the exact exams to pass, what’s covered on the test, an 8–12 week study plan, and how to turn this credential into career acceleration.
Let’s dive in.
What Is the Azure Solutions Architect Expert Certification?
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert validates that you can design end-to-end Azure solutions across compute, network, storage, identity, security, governance, data, and business continuity. It’s a senior, design-first credential—ideal for those who work closely with stakeholders to define requirements and lead implementation teams.
Key highlights:
It focuses on “design and decision-making,” not just button-clicking.
It aligns to the Azure Well-Architected Framework (reliability, cost, operational excellence, performance efficiency, and security).
It maps closely to the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF), including landing zones, governance, and platform foundations.
Actionable takeaway: Think like a decision-maker. Every domain—identity, networking, storage, monitoring, and BCDR—requires tradeoffs. Your core skill is justifying those tradeoffs.
Who Should Pursue This Certification?
You’ll benefit most if you:
Already work on Azure projects and want to move into architecture or leadership.
Lead or influence cross-functional teams (infrastructure, security, data, and DevOps).
Are moving from hands-on roles (Azure admin, sysadmin, network engineer, DevOps engineer) into solution design and platform strategy.
Work in consulting, pre-sales, or technical advisory where design decisions need strong justification.
Reality check: You don’t need to be a niche expert in every area. You do need to be “T-shaped”—deep enough in at least one domain, and broad and fluent across the others to make good design calls.
Actionable takeaway: If you’re an Azure Administrator, DevOps Engineer, or Cloud Engineer, map your current projects to architecture decisions (e.g., “Why Private Link over service endpoints?”). Turn tasks into design reasoning.
Certification Path and Prerequisites
To earn “Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert,” you must:
Hold Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104).
Pass Exam AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions.
You can take AZ-305 before AZ-104, but the Expert certification won’t be awarded until both requirements are met. The certification is valid for one year and can be renewed annually for free via an online, unproctored assessment on Microsoft Learn. Renewals are light-touch and focus on assessing current knowledge.
Actionable takeaway: If you don’t have AZ-104 yet, book it. Even if you’re a senior engineer, AZ-104 ensures you’re fluent in the day-to-day building blocks that your designs rely on.
AZ-305 Exam Overview: What’s Covered
AZ-305 tests your ability to design solutions—not just remember features. Expect multi-step scenario questions, case studies, and the occasional “best fit” tradeoff. Generally, you’ll see around 40–60 questions in roughly 100 minutes of exam time (120 minutes seat time), with some exams including labs.
Skills measured (and typical weightings):
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions (25–30%)
Design data storage solutions (20–25%)
Design business continuity solutions (15–20%)
Design infrastructure solutions (30–35%)
Passing score: 700/1000 (scaled).
Languages: English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Traditional Chinese, Italian.
Actionable takeaway: Build muscle memory around the four domains above. In your prep journal, maintain a “decision log” for each area: what options exist, when to use each, and their tradeoffs.
Deep Dive: Identity, Governance, and Monitoring
This domain’s at the top for a reason: strong platforms start with identity and guardrails.
What to master:
Entra ID design: tenants, cross-tenant collaboration (B2B), Conditional Access, MFA, self-service, and PIM (Privileged Identity Management).
Access and authorization: RBAC scoping (management group > subscription > resource group > resource), custom roles, and least privilege.
Governance baseline: Management groups, subscription strategy, naming/tagging conventions, and policy-driven guardrails (Azure Policy initiatives, effects like AuditDeny/DeployIfNotExists).
Monitoring and observability: Azure Monitor, Log Analytics workspaces, data collection rules, action groups, and cost alerts. Understand customer-facing SLOs and translate them into metrics and alerts.
Common decisions:
Tenant and subscription structure for multi-region, multi-business-unit organizations.
When to isolate workloads or compliance boundaries via subscriptions vs. resource groups.
Using policies to enforce private endpoints, encryption, backup, tagging, or SKUs.
Actionable takeaway: Create a “platform landing zone” in a lab. Implement management group hierarchy, policy initiatives (security baseline, tagging, allowed locations), Log Analytics workspace, and budget alerts.
Deep Dive: Data Storage Design
Data in Azure isn’t one-size-fits-all. You’ll pick storage services based on consistency, performance, cost, and access patterns.
Core patterns:
Object storage with Blob Storage: hot/cool/archive tiers, lifecycle management, object replication, immutability, and Private Endpoints.
Files with Azure Files: SMB/NFS options, performance tiers, AD DS or Entra ID integration, and caching patterns with Azure File Sync.
Disks (VM): Standard HDD/SSD, Premium SSD v2, Ultra SSD; burst capabilities; encryption; shared disks for clustering.
Security: Encryption at rest (platform-managed vs. customer-managed keys), key rotation, private endpoints, and firewall rules.
Data redundancy and recovery: LRS/ZRS/GRS/GZRS tradeoffs; RPO/RTO alignment; backup vs. snapshot strategies.
Actionable takeaway: Build a decision matrix for three sample workloads: static website assets (Blob), lift-and-shift file shares (Azure Files), and OLTP VM disks. Record the cost, performance, redundancy, and security choices.
Deep Dive: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR)
BCDR validates you can keep services up—and recover when they’re not.
Key topics:
Availability and resiliency: Zonal vs. regional designs; autoscaling; load balancing; chaos testing.
Backup: Azure Backup policies for VMs, databases, and files; restore testing; vault architecture.
Disaster recovery: Azure Site Recovery (ASR) replication scenarios, target regions, recovery plans, and runbooks.
RTO/RPO negotiation: Define acceptable downtime and data loss with stakeholders—and design accordingly.
Actionable takeaway: In your lab, set up Azure Backup for a sample VM and configure ASR to a paired region. Perform a test failover and document cutover steps.
Deep Dive: Infrastructure Design
This portion typically carries the heaviest weight.
Focus areas:
Compute: VMs vs. AKS vs. PaaS services (App Service, Functions, Container Apps). Understand cost, scalability, SLA, and management overhead.
Networking: Hub–spoke vs. Virtual WAN; cross-premises connectivity (VPN vs. ExpressRoute); Private Link; Azure Firewall and routing (UDRs, BGP).
Security: Zero trust patterns; segmentation via VNets and subnets; NSGs/ASGs; Web Application Firewall; DDoS protection.
Hybrid and edge: Arc-enabled servers/Kubernetes; on-premises identity integration; hybrid patterns for data and messaging.
Make-or-break decisions:
Selecting a transit model (hub–spoke or vWAN) for a multi-region enterprise.
Deciding when to use Private Link to protect service traffic; understanding DNS implications.
Choosing compute patterns that minimize operational toil while meeting performance needs.
Actionable takeaway: Design and deploy a hub–spoke network with a central Firewall, shared services, and Private Link to a storage account and a database. Validate routing and DNS resolution.
Exam Day: What to Expect
The exam is scenario-heavy. You’ll see multi-step questions, case studies, and multi-select decision items.
Some sections may be non-returnable once you proceed—use your time wisely.
Guess if you’re unsure; there’s no penalty for wrong answers, and unanswered items can cost you points.
If testing online, prep your workspace, verify your ID and system, and eliminate potential interruptions.
Actionable takeaway: Use Microsoft’s Exam Sandbox ahead of time to familiarize yourself with the exam interface and question types.
Study Resources: What to Use (and How)
Curate your stack:
Microsoft Learn
AZ-305 skills outline and study guide (your blueprint).
Learning paths mapped to identity/governance/monitoring, data, BCDR, and infrastructure.
Free Practice Assessment to find and close gaps.
Architecture guidance
Azure Well-Architected Framework: practice “tradeoff thinking.”
Cloud Adoption Framework: landing zone design areas (identity, resource organization, networking, security, management).
Networking reference architectures: hub–spoke, Virtual WAN, Private Link patterns.
Hands-on labs
Build a landing zone baseline with management groups, policies, Log Analytics, budgets, and cost alerts.
Implement hub–spoke or vWAN connectivity, Firewall + route tables, Private Endpoints, and DNS.
Set up backup and ASR; conduct test restores/failovers; document RTO/RPO and runbooks.
Practice tests and communities
Use official practice assessments for targeted feedback.
Join study groups or community forums to sanity-check designs and get peer review.
Instructor-led training
If you want structure, choose an MCT-led AZ-305 course or a focused bootcamp on landing zones and networking.
Actionable takeaway: Build a “portfolio” of lab architectures and short design memos—these help for the exam and become talking points in interviews.
A Practical 8–12 Week Study Plan
Use this flexible plan and adjust based on your background.
Week 1: Plan and baseline
Book AZ-305 for 6–8 weeks out.
Skim the official skills outline and the study guide.
Take the free Practice Assessment; list your weakest areas.
Set up or refresh your Azure sandbox (new subscription, credits, or sandbox environment).
Weeks 2–3: Identity, governance, and monitoring
Complete the Learn modules on identity/governance/monitoring.
Build management groups, subscriptions, and naming/tagging standards.
Author Azure Policy initiatives (e.g., allowed locations, tagging, private endpoints).
Create a Log Analytics workspace, DCRs, and action groups; configure budgets.
Weeks 4–5: Data and BCDR
Review Blob, Files, and disks; implement Private Endpoints; compare redundancy options.
Configure Backup for VMs/files; test restore.
Set up ASR to a secondary region; run a test failover and document your runbook.
Study encryption, keys, and access control for storage and databases.
Weeks 6–7: Infrastructure and networking
Build hub–spoke or vWAN network; deploy Firewall and route tables; integrate on-premises connectivity (lab-simulated).
Add Private Link to storage and database services; validate DNS split-horizon.
Benchmark compute choices (VMs vs App Service vs AKS) for a sample workload.
Week 8: Capstone and readiness
Map a real workload to CAF design areas; write a 1–2 page design memo covering tradeoffs.
Re-take the Practice Assessment; close final gaps.
Use the Exam Sandbox to review item types and timeboxing.
Optional Weeks 9–12: Deeper dives or retake prep
Pursue deeper networking (ExpressRoute design, vWAN scenarios), security (PIM, Conditional Access, Defender for Cloud), or data (encryption, performance, partitions).
Schedule retake timing intelligently if needed.
Actionable takeaway: Keep a “learn-to-lab” ratio of at least 1:1. Every major concept should be reinforced by something you built or validated yourself.
Cost, Retakes, and Renewal
Exam cost: Typically around US$165 for role-based exams (varies by country/region and taxes; exact price shown at scheduling).
Retakes: Wait 24 hours after the first failure; 14 days between subsequent attempts; up to five attempts in 12 months.
Renewal: Annual, free, and online. You’ll get a reminder and can renew six months prior to expiry.
Budget tips:
Use free trials, student benefits, or employer credits for your lab time.
Shut down resources nightly; use budgets and alerting.
If available in your region, check for discounted bundles or exam replay offers.
Actionable takeaway: Put a small monthly limit on your lab subscription and practice cost governance as you study.
How the Certification Translates to Career Value
What hiring managers see:
You can design platforms that align with Well-Architected and CAF, not just implement services.
You can lead cross-functional conversations—identity with security, networking with operations, storage with data governance.
You can justify tradeoffs (performance vs. cost, zonal vs. regional, Private Link vs. service endpoints) with clarity.
Typical roles:
Cloud Solutions Architect
Enterprise/Platform Architect
Senior Cloud Consultant
Customer/Partner/Pre-sales Engineer (Azure)
Salary perspective:
In many markets, Azure Solutions Architects command six-figure salaries, with senior roles in enterprise and consulting often landing at the higher end of the range. Your exact number varies by location, vertical, and portfolio.
Actionable takeaway: Translate your study labs into a portfolio. Publish sanitized design memos, diagrams, and “why we chose X over Y” write-ups. It differentiates you far more than the badge alone.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Memorizing features without context: The exam favors design reasoning. Always ask “when, why, and tradeoffs.”
Overlooking governance: Many designs fail at scale without policies, budget alerts, access control, and standard naming/tagging.
Ignoring DNS and routing when using Private Link: Plan DNS zones and resolution paths explicitly.
Forgetting to test restores/failovers: Backup that isn’t tested isn’t real.
Treating security as an afterthought: Build identity, access, encryption, and network isolation into every decision.
Actionable takeaway: For every architecture diagram you draw, add a “governance, security, and cost” layer—policies, budgets, PIM/RBAC, encryption, and isolation.
Exam-Day Strategy (Tactical Tips)
Read the business requirements twice; underline constraints (compliance, region, RTO/RPO).
Solve by elimination: Remove clearly wrong options, then weigh tradeoffs among the rest.
Manage time by section: Some sections can’t be revisited.
Keep moving: There’s no penalty for guessing; unanswered items cost points.
Use your “decision log” memory—when stuck, recall the tradeoff patterns you documented.
Actionable takeaway: Before the exam, write a one-page “design heuristics” sheet from memory (concepts, triggers for each choice). You won’t bring it in, but the act of writing cements recall.
After You Pass: What’s Next?
Update your LinkedIn with a short description of what the certification means (design across identity, governance, networking, storage, BCDR).
Share your lab portfolio (diagrams, design notes, cost optimizations).
Volunteer for architecture reviews at work; offer to map current workloads to CAF and Well-Architected.
Plan your renewal window and keep notes of new features or changes that might show up on the renewal assessment.
Actionable takeaway: Start an internal “Architecture Lunch & Learn” series at your company. Teaching what you just learned reinforces your mastery and elevates your visibility.
FAQs
Q1: Do I need AZ-104 (Azure Administrator Associate) before earning the Expert certification?
Yes. You may take AZ-305 first, but the Expert certification is only awarded once you also hold Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104).
Q2: How long is the certification valid, and how do I renew it?
It’s valid for one year and renewable for free via an online assessment. You can renew starting six months before your certification’s expiration date.
Q3: How many questions are on AZ-305 and how long is the exam?
Expect roughly 40–60 questions with about 100 minutes of exam time (120 minutes seat time). Some role-based exams include labs, which can extend the duration.
Q4: What topics should I prioritize if I’m short on time?
Identity/governance/monitoring and infrastructure design usually carry the most weight. Make sure you’re solid on landing zones, RBAC/Policy, network topologies (hub–spoke/vWAN), Private Link, and BCDR basics.
Q5: Can I take the exam online?
Yes. You can test online with a remote proctor or at a Pearson VUE test center. If testing online, review the rules and test your system beforehand.
Conclusion:
Becoming an Azure Solutions Architect Expert is about much more than passing a test—it’s about developing the mindset and toolkit to design well-architected platforms that scale with the business. Focus on tradeoffs, practice in real labs, and anchor your decisions to Well-Architected and CAF. If you commit to the 8–12 week plan in this guide and build a small portfolio along the way, you’ll not only pass AZ-305—you’ll be ready to lead architecture conversations with confidence.
Ready to get started? Pick your exam date, create your study plan, and begin building your landing zone lab today. Your future self (and your future stakeholders) will thank you.
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