Expert AZ-305
Expert-level Azure cert for architects designing secure, scalable Azure solutions. Covers compute, network, storage, monitoring, and governance at enterprise scale.
The Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) is the top-tier Azure certification for solution architects. It validates the ability to design end-to-end Azure solutions that satisfy business requirements for compute, network, storage, security, monitoring, and governance. It requires passing the AZ-104 as a prerequisite.
The exam covers four domains: Design Identity, Governance, and Monitoring Solutions (25–30%), Design Data Storage Solutions (25–30%), Design Business Continuity Solutions (10–15%), and Design Infrastructure Solutions (25–30%). You must demonstrate mastery of Azure Networking (Hub-Spoke, VNet Peering, ExpressRoute), Azure AD (Entra ID) security, Azure Storage design patterns, Azure SQL and Cosmos DB for various workloads, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Site Recovery, and Azure Monitor / Defender for Cloud.
The AZ-305 is a professional-level differentiator for solution architects, enterprise architects, and senior cloud consultants who design and govern large Azure environments. Unlike AWS Professional certifications, AZ-305 focuses heavily on architectural decision-making using case study scenarios.
Solution architects, cloud architects, and senior cloud engineers designing enterprise Azure environments.
Prerequisites: AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator (required). 1+ year experience with advanced Azure administration and architecture.