The correct answer is to disable read-scale out for non-critical queries and route them to the primary replica. This directly addresses the Azure SQL Database read-scale out performance issue by reducing the read workload on secondary replicas, which in turn lowers write latency because fewer reads compete with the log apply process for resources. On the DP-300 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Business Critical tier readable secondaries handle log transport and the trade-offs of read-scale out routing. A common trap is assuming you need to scale up vCores or add replicas, but the correct fix is workload isolation without incurring additional cost. Memory tip: think “read-heavy secondaries starve the log writer—send non-critical reads to the primary to let the secondary breathe.”
DP-300 Plan and implement data platform resources Practice Question
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of plan and implement data platform 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.
You are the Azure DBA for a global e-commerce company. The company uses Azure SQL Database for its product catalog. The database is in the Business Critical tier with 16 vCores and 1 TB of storage. During a major sales event, the application experiences severe performance degradation. Analysis reveals that the database is experiencing high write latency on the secondary replicas due to heavy read workload routed to them. The primary replica is not overloaded. The application uses read-only routing to direct queries to readable secondaries. The DBA needs to reduce write latency on the secondaries without affecting the read workload or incurring additional cost. What should the DBA do?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Disable read-scale out for non-critical queries and use the primary for read-write
Option B is correct because disabling read-scale out for non-critical queries forces those queries to use the primary replica, reducing the read workload on the secondaries. This directly lowers the write latency on secondaries, as fewer reads compete for resources with the log apply process. The change does not affect the read workload for critical queries that still use read-only routing, and it incurs no additional cost.
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.
✗
Scale up the service tier to Hyperscale to offload writes
Why it's wrong here
Hyperscale has different architecture but may increase cost and not directly solve write latency on secondaries.
✓
Disable read-scale out for non-critical queries and use the primary for read-write
Why this is correct
Reducing read load on secondaries decreases write latency on replicas.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Add more replicas to distribute the read load
Why it's wrong here
Adding replicas increases cost and may increase write latency due to more replication.
✗
Remove the secondary replicas and use only the primary
Why it's wrong here
This reduces high availability and read capacity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume adding more replicas or changing tiers is necessary, when the real solution is to selectively route read traffic away from secondaries to reduce contention on the log apply process without incurring cost.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Business Critical tier, secondary replicas are kept in sync via Always On availability group technology, where log records are hardened on the primary and then applied to secondaries. Heavy read workloads on secondaries can cause contention for CPU and I/O, delaying the log apply process and increasing write latency. Disabling read-scale out for non-critical queries reduces this contention without affecting the primary's write performance, as the primary replica handles writes independently of read traffic.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
Plan and implement data platform resources — This question tests Plan and implement data platform resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Disable read-scale out for non-critical queries and use the primary for read-write — Option B is correct because disabling read-scale out for non-critical queries forces those queries to use the primary replica, reducing the read workload on the secondaries. This directly lowers the write latency on secondaries, as fewer reads compete for resources with the log apply process. The change does not affect the read workload for critical queries that still use read-only routing, and it incurs no additional cost.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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