DP-203 Practice Question: Secure, monitor, and optimize data storage and data processing
Your organization uses Azure SQL Database with Active Geo-Replication for disaster recovery. You need to ensure that all connections to the database use Microsoft Entra ID authentication and that access is audited. You also want to minimize the attack surface by disabling SQL authentication. What should you do?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable 'Azure AD-only authentication' in the Azure SQL Database server settings and remove all SQL Server authenticated logins.
Enabling 'Azure AD-only authentication' in the Azure SQL Database server settings disables SQL authentication and enforces Microsoft Entra ID authentication, which also ensures auditing through Entra ID logs. Option A is incorrect: Conditional Access policies enforce MFA for Entra ID authentication, but they do not disable SQL authentication, leaving the attack surface open. Option C is incorrect: Creating a firewall rule restricts IP addresses but does not disable SQL authentication. Option D is incorrect: Azure RBAC controls management plane access (e.g., resource management), not database-level authentication; it does not disable SQL authentication.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Configure Conditional Access policies to require MFA for database access.
Why it's wrong here
Does not disable SQL authentication.
- ✓
Enable 'Azure AD-only authentication' in the Azure SQL Database server settings and remove all SQL Server authenticated logins.
Why this is correct
Disables SQL authentication and enforces Entra ID.
- ✗
Create a server-level firewall rule to allow only specific IP addresses and enable SQL authentication.
Why it's wrong here
SQL authentication is still allowed.
- ✗
Create an Azure RBAC role to restrict access to the database and assign it to users.
Why it's wrong here
RBAC is for management plane, not data plane.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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