The answer is an internal load balancer for the availability group listener, a domain controller, and all VMs in the same availability set or availability zones. These three prerequisites are essential because Windows Server Failover Clustering requires a domain controller for authentication and quorum, while the load balancer provides a static IP address for the listener to route traffic to the primary replica during automatic failover. Additionally, placing all VMs in the same availability set or zones ensures low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity between nodes, which is critical for synchronous data replication and automatic failover. On the DP-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of high-availability architecture on Azure VMs, often trapping candidates who think VMs can be in different regions for automatic failover or that SQL Server authentication mode matters. Remember the mnemonic “DCL” — Domain controller, same availability set or Zones, and Load balancer — to quickly recall the three must-haves for automatic failover.
DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Which THREE of the following are prerequisites for configuring an Always On Availability Group on Azure VMs with automatic failover? (Choose Three.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "always"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
All VMs must be in the same availability set or availability zones.
Options A, C, and D are correct. A domain controller (A) is needed for Windows Server Failover Clustering. All VMs must be in the same availability set or availability zones (C). A load balancer (D) is required for the listener IP. Option B is incorrect because VMs can be in different regions, but then automatic failover across regions is not supported without additional configuration. Option E is incorrect because SQL Server authentication mode is not a prerequisite.
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.
✓
All VMs must be in the same availability set or availability zones.
Why this is correct
Required for high availability.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "always" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
A domain controller in the same virtual network.
Why this is correct
Required for clustering.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "always" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
All VMs must use SQL Server authentication.
Why it's wrong here
Not a prerequisite.
✗
All VMs must be in the same Azure region.
Why it's wrong here
They can be in different regions, but automatic failover across regions requires additional setup.
✓
An internal load balancer for the availability group listener.
Why this is correct
Required for listener IP.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "always" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — This question tests Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: All VMs must be in the same availability set or availability zones. — Options A, C, and D are correct. A domain controller (A) is needed for Windows Server Failover Clustering. All VMs must be in the same availability set or availability zones (C). A load balancer (D) is required for the listener IP. Option B is incorrect because VMs can be in different regions, but then automatic failover across regions is not supported without additional configuration. Option E is incorrect because SQL Server authentication mode is not a prerequisite.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "always". Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
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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