The answer is sys.query_store_query_stats. This view is correct because it aggregates runtime statistics per query across all stored plans and time intervals, providing cumulative metrics for CPU, I/O, and duration that directly reveal which queries have the highest total resource consumption over the collected week. On the Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Associate DP-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of Query Store’s historical execution data and its role in identifying performance bottlenecks in Azure SQL Database, especially under the General Purpose service tier where resource limits can degrade performance. A common trap is confusing sys.query_store_query_stats with sys.query_store_runtime_stats, but remember that the former rolls up data per query (across all plans), while the latter gives per-plan details. For a memory tip, think "stats per query" — the word "query" in the view name signals it aggregates across plans, making it the go-to for total resource consumption analysis.
DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of monitor, configure, and optimize database resources. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company has an Azure SQL Database that experiences periodic performance degradation. The database uses the General Purpose service tier. You need to identify the most common performance bottlenecks. You enable the Query Store and collect data for a week. Which Query Store view should you query to find queries that have the highest total resource consumption over time?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
sys.query_store_query_stats
A is correct because sys.query_store_query_stats aggregates runtime statistics per query across all plans and time intervals, making it the ideal view to identify queries with the highest total resource consumption (e.g., CPU, I/O, duration) over the collected week. Query Store captures historical execution data, and this view provides the cumulative metrics needed to pinpoint the most resource-intensive queries for performance bottleneck analysis.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
sys.query_store_query_stats
Why this is correct
This view provides aggregated runtime statistics like total CPU, IO, and duration for each query.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
sys.query_store_plan
Why it's wrong here
This view shows execution plan details, not aggregated resource consumption.
✗
sys.dm_exec_query_stats
Why it's wrong here
This DMV returns statistics from the plan cache, which may not have historical data.
✗
sys.dm_db_resource_stats
Why it's wrong here
This DMV shows CPU, IO, and memory consumption at the database level, not per query.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse sys.dm_exec_query_stats (a live, cache-dependent DMV) with the Query Store's historical views, assuming both provide the same aggregated data, but only Query Store views retain data across plan evictions and time intervals for long-term analysis.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This view shows execution plan details, not aggregated resource consumption.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Query Store persists query runtime statistics in the sys.query_store_query_stats view by aggregating data from the runtime statistics interval (default 60 minutes) into a cumulative row per query_id and plan_id. This view includes columns like total_cpu_time, total_logical_io_reads, and total_duration, enabling ranking queries by total resource consumption over any time period. In a real-world scenario, a DBA might use this view with ORDER BY total_cpu_time DESC to quickly identify the top CPU-consuming queries causing periodic degradation in a General Purpose tier database, where resource limits can amplify performance issues.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources — This question tests Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: sys.query_store_query_stats — A is correct because sys.query_store_query_stats aggregates runtime statistics per query across all plans and time intervals, making it the ideal view to identify queries with the highest total resource consumption (e.g., CPU, I/O, duration) over the collected week. Query Store captures historical execution data, and this view provides the cumulative metrics needed to pinpoint the most resource-intensive queries for performance bottleneck analysis.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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