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CCNA Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment Questions

75 of 170 questions · Page 2/3 · Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment · Answers revealed

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76

MCQmedium

You have an Azure SQL Managed Instance configured with a failover group between two regions. The primary region becomes unavailable. You need to fail over to the secondary region with minimal data loss. What should you do?

A.Run 'az sql mi failover-group force-failover-allow-data-loss' from the Azure CLI

B.Add the secondary instance to an elastic pool and initiate failover

C.Run 'az sql mi failover-group failover' from the Azure CLI

D.Use Azure portal to initiate geo-failover for the managed instance

AnswerA

This command forces failover to the secondary, accepting potential data loss due to unreplicated transactions.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because during a disaster, you can perform a forced failover with data loss in a failover group. The command 'az sql mi failover-group force-failover-allow-data-loss' initiates the failover. Option A would fail because the primary is unavailable.

Option C is for elastic pools, not MI. Option D is for single databases.

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77

Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO of the following are valid reasons to use zone-redundant configuration for Azure SQL Database? (Choose Two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Reduce read latency for globally distributed users.

B.Automatic failover to a paired region.

C.Protection against a single availability zone failure within a region.

D.Protection against a regional disaster.

E.Higher availability compared to a single zone deployment.

AnswersC, E

Correct.

Why this answer

Options B and D are correct. Zone-redundant configuration protects against failures within a region at the zone level (B) and provides higher availability than single-zone deployment (D). Option A is incorrect because zone redundancy does not protect against region-wide outages.

Option C is incorrect because it does not reduce latency. Option E is incorrect because it does not provide geo-replication, only zonal redundancy.

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78

Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO actions should you take to minimize downtime during a planned failover of an Azure SQL Database failover group? (Choose two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Scale up the primary database to a higher service objective.

B.Terminate all active connections to the primary database.

C.Ensure the failover group is configured for manual failover.

D.Disable automatic failover on the failover group.

E.Perform a planned failover from the primary to the secondary.

AnswersC, E

Manual failover allows you to control the timing.

Why this answer

Option A and D are correct. Setting the failover group to manual and performing a planned failover ensures no data loss and minimizes downtime. Option B is wrong because increasing performance does not affect failover.

Option C is wrong because disabling automatic failover is not necessary. Option E is wrong because terminating connections manually is not recommended; the failover process handles it.

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79

MCQeasy

You need to create a disaster recovery plan for an Azure SQL Database that has an RPO of 1 hour and an RTO of 12 hours. Which solution should you use?

A.Failover group with automatic failover.

B.Geo-restore of automated backups.

C.Active geo-replication.

D.Zone-redundant configuration.

AnswerB

Meets the RPO and RTO requirements at lower cost.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because geo-restore of automated backups can achieve RPO of 1 hour (backup frequency) and RTO of 12 hours (restore time). Option A is wrong because active geo-replication has lower RPO/RTO. Option C is wrong because failover groups have lower RTO.

Option D is wrong because zone-redundancy does not protect against regional failure.

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80

Multi-Selectmedium

Which THREE components are required to configure an auto-failover group for Azure SQL Database? (Choose three.)

Select 3 answers

A.Active geo-replication

B.A failover group name

C.Secondary logical server in a different region

D.Primary logical server

E.An availability group listener

AnswersB, C, D

The failover group defines the relationship and failover policy.

Why this answer

Options A, B, and C are correct. The primary and secondary servers are essential, and the failover group is the logical container. Option D is incorrect because a listener is created automatically as part of the failover group, not separately.

Option E is incorrect because geo-replication is not required; the failover group itself provides the replication.

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81

MCQmedium

Your Azure SQL Database is configured with a failover group between two regions. The primary database experiences a catastrophic failure that prevents any connectivity. You need to initiate a failover to the secondary region. However, the failover group status shows 'Primary is down'. What should you do?

A.Run a planned failover to ensure zero data loss.

B.Wait for the primary to come back online and then failover.

C.Remove the primary database from the failover group and then failover.

D.Run a forced failover accepting potential data loss.

AnswerD

Correct: Forced failover works even if primary is down.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because when the primary is completely unavailable, you must perform a forced failover with data loss, which is allowed even if the primary is down. Option A is incorrect because a planned failover requires the primary to be accessible. Option B is incorrect because you cannot remove the primary if it is down.

Option D is incorrect because you should not wait indefinitely.

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82

Multi-Selecthard

Which THREE are valid methods to implement disaster recovery for Azure SQL Database? (Select three.)

Select 3 answers

A.Failover groups

B.Always On availability groups

C.Active geo-replication

D.Long-term backup retention

E.Geo-restore (point-in-time restore)

AnswersA, C, E

Failover groups provide automatic failover and a readable secondary.

Why this answer

Options A, B, and D are correct. Failover groups, active geo-replication, and geo-restore (point-in-time restore to another region) are built-in DR methods. Option C is for SQL Server on VMs.

Option E is not a DR feature; backup retention is for retention, not disaster recovery.

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83

MCQmedium

You have an Azure SQL Database configured with active geo-replication to a secondary region. The primary region experiences a full outage. You need to fail over with minimal data loss. What should you do?

A.Initiate an unplanned failover from the primary to the secondary.

B.Delete the secondary database and create a new one in the primary region.

C.Initiate a planned failover from the primary to the secondary.

D.Create a new secondary database in the same region as the primary.

AnswerC

Planned failover syncs data before failover, minimizing data loss.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because a planned failover (with data synchronization) ensures minimal data loss by syncing data before switching. Option A is incorrect because an unplanned failover may lose transactions not yet replicated. Option C is incorrect because you need to failover, not delete the secondary.

Option D is incorrect because creating a new secondary does not failover.

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84

MCQeasy

You need to configure a backup policy for Azure SQL Database that allows restoring to any point within the last 7 days. What is the minimum point-in-time restore retention period you should set?

A.1 day

B.7 days

C.14 days

D.3 days

AnswerB

Minimum to restore within 7 days.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because point-in-time restore retention can be set from 1 to 35 days. To restore to any point within 7 days, you need at least 7 days retention. Option A (1 day) is insufficient.

Option B (3 days) is also insufficient. Option D (14 days) is more than needed.

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85

MCQmedium

You have an Azure SQL Database that is part of a failover group with automatic failover. The primary region experiences a complete outage. The failover group automatically fails over to the secondary region. After the primary region is restored, you need to ensure the database is operational in the primary region with minimal data loss. What should you do?

A.Initiate a manual failover of the failover group back to the primary region.

B.Wait for automatic failback to occur.

C.Restore the database from a geo-redundant backup.

D.Delete the failover group and recreate it with the original primary as the new primary.

AnswerA

Manual failback re-establishes the primary in the original region with zero data loss.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because after automatic failover, you must manually fail back to re-establish the primary in the original region. Option A is wrong because automatic failover would have already occurred. Option B is wrong because restoring from backup would cause data loss.

Option D is wrong because you cannot simply delete and recreate the failover group without data loss.

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86

MCQmedium

Your company uses Azure SQL Database Hyperscale tier for a large OLTP workload. You need to implement a disaster recovery solution that provides a readable secondary in a different Azure region with an RPO of less than 5 seconds and automatic failover. What should you configure?

A.Create an auto-failover group with a secondary in the paired region.

B.Enable geo-redundant backup storage and use geo-restore.

C.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary server in another region.

D.Create a named replica in the target region and configure application failover logic.

AnswerD

Named replicas in Hyperscale can be placed in different regions and used for failover with low RPO.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because Hyperscale supports named replicas that can be created in a different region and can be used for failover. Option A is wrong because Hyperscale does not support auto-failover groups. Option B is wrong because Hyperscale does not support active geo-replication.

Option C is wrong because geo-restore does not provide a readable secondary.

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87

Multi-Selecteasy

You need to configure high availability for an Azure SQL Database that supports a critical application. The database must be resilient to a single compute node failure. Which TWO options should you consider? (Choose two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Configure Hyperscale read replicas.

B.Enable active geo-replication.

C.Create an auto-failover group.

D.Use the Business Critical service tier.

E.Enable zone redundancy.

AnswersD, E

Business Critical provides automatic failover on node failure.

Why this answer

Options A and D are correct. The Business Critical tier provides synchronous replicas that automatically failover on node failure. Zone redundancy places replicas in different zones for additional resilience.

Option B (active geo-replication) is for DR across regions. Option C (auto-failover group) is for managed instances. Option E (Hyperscale read replicas) are for read scale, not HA.

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88

MCQmedium

You query the sys.dm_geo_replication_link_status dynamic management view for an Azure SQL Database configured with active geo-replication. The exhibit shows the output. What does this indicate about the replication health?

A.The secondary is fully synchronized with minimal lag.

B.The secondary role indicates a failover has occurred.

C.The secondary is 5 seconds behind, indicating a problem.

D.The replication is in the seeding phase.

AnswerA

Correct.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because replicationLag of 5 seconds indicates the secondary is catching up with minimal lag, and replicationState of CATCH_UP means it is fully synchronized. Option A is incorrect because 5 seconds lag is normal. Option B is incorrect because secondary role is expected.

Option D is incorrect because the state is CATCH_UP, not SEEDING.

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89

MCQeasy

You are designing a disaster recovery plan for an Azure SQL Database that uses the Business Critical service tier. The database is 2 TB. You need to ensure that the secondary replica in a different Azure region is readable for reporting queries. What should you configure?

A.Create an auto-failover group with a secondary in the paired region.

B.Enable zone-redundant backup storage.

C.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary server in the target region.

D.Use geo-restore from geo-redundant backups.

AnswerC

Active geo-replication provides a readable secondary database.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because active geo-replication creates a readable secondary database in a different region. Option A is wrong because auto-failover groups require a secondary in the same region for readable secondaries. Option C is wrong because geo-restore is not readable during recovery.

Option D is wrong because backup redundancy does not provide a readable secondary.

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90

MCQmedium

You are configuring a failover group for a pair of Azure SQL Managed Instances in different regions for disaster recovery. The primary instance experiences a regional outage. You need to ensure that after a forced failover, the secondary instance automatically becomes the primary without any manual intervention and that applications can connect using the same listener endpoint. What should you configure?

A.Use Azure Traffic Manager with priority routing to the secondary instance.

B.Enable auto-failover groups on the primary instance.

C.Configure active geo-replication between the instances.

D.Create a failover group with automatic failover policy and add the databases.

AnswerD

A failover group with automatic failover provides a listener endpoint and automatic failover during an outage.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because a failover group with automatic failover policy ensures that during a regional outage, the secondary database becomes the primary automatically and the listener endpoint remains unchanged. Option A is wrong because active geo-replication does not provide a single listener endpoint and requires manual failover. Option B is wrong because auto-failover groups are the correct feature, not a separate setting.

Option D is wrong because Azure Traffic Manager is not needed; the failover group listener provides the endpoint.

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91

MCQhard

You have an Azure SQL Database configured with active geo-replication to a secondary region. A regional outage occurs in the primary region. You need to manually fail over to the secondary database with the least amount of data loss. Which PowerShell cmdlet should you run?

A.Start-AzSqlDatabaseFailover -ResourceGroupName ... -ServerName ... -DatabaseName ...

B.Set-AzSqlDatabaseSecondary -ResourceGroupName ... -ServerName ... -DatabaseName ... -PartnerResourceGroupName ... -Failover

C.Invoke-AzSqlDatabaseFailover -ResourceGroupName ... -ServerName ... -DatabaseName ... -Secondary

D.Switch-AzSqlDatabaseSecondary -ResourceGroupName ... -ServerName ... -DatabaseName ...

AnswerB

This cmdlet initiates a planned failover with synchronization to minimize data loss.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because Set-AzSqlDatabaseSecondary with -Failover initiates a planned failover that synchronizes data before failing over, minimizing data loss. Option A (Start-AzSqlDatabaseFailover) is for failing over a single database within the same region, not geo-failover. Option C (Invoke-AzSqlDatabaseFailover) does not exist.

Option D (Switch-AzSqlDatabaseSecondary) is not a valid cmdlet.

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92

MCQeasy

A company plans to migrate an on-premises SQL Server database to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance. They require a high availability solution that provides automatic failover between replicas within the same region with an RPO of 0 and an RTO of less than 30 seconds. Which service tier should they choose?

A.Business Critical

B.General Purpose

C.Azure SQL Database (single)

D.Hyperscale

AnswerA

Provides synchronous replicas with zero data loss.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because Business Critical service tier provides Always On availability groups with synchronous replicas ensuring zero data loss and fast failover. Option B is wrong because General Purpose has asynchronous replicas. Option C is wrong because Hyperscale uses buffer pool extension.

Option D is wrong because Azure SQL Database is not Managed Instance.

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93

Multi-Selectmedium

You are designing a disaster recovery plan for an Azure SQL Managed Instance that hosts an OLTP application. The application requires an RPO of 15 seconds and an RTO of 5 minutes. You need to choose a configuration that meets these requirements. Which TWO options should you consider? (Choose two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Configure a failover group with a secondary instance in a paired region, both using Business Critical service tier.

B.Deploy a zone-redundant Business Critical instance in a single region.

C.Deploy a General Purpose instance with a failover group to a secondary in another region.

D.Ensure the secondary instance has at least one readable secondary replica.

E.Use active geo-replication between two Business Critical instances in different regions.

AnswersA, E

Business Critical provides synchronous replication within region and asynchronous geo-replication, meeting the RPO/RTO.

Why this answer

Options B and C are correct. Failover groups with active geo-replication between Business Critical instances provide synchronous commit within the primary region and asynchronous geo-replication, achieving RPO of ~5 seconds and RTO of ~1 minute for automated failover. Zone-redundant configuration alone does not protect against regional failure.

General Purpose does not guarantee low RPO. Option A is wrong because zone-redundancy does not protect regionally. Option D is wrong because General Purpose cannot meet the RPO.

Option E is correct.

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94

MCQeasy

A small business uses Azure SQL Database single database in the General Purpose tier for its inventory management system. The database is located in the Brazil South region. The business wants a disaster recovery solution that can automatically fail over to a secondary region in case of an outage, with an RPO of less than 1 hour and an RTO of less than 2 hours. The budget is limited, so the solution must be cost-effective. What should you recommend?

A.Create a failover group with a secondary database in a different region using the General Purpose tier.

B.Enable zone redundancy on the existing database.

C.Use geo-restore from geo-redundant backups.

D.Upgrade to Business Critical tier and configure geo-replication.

AnswerA

Cost-effective and meets RPO/RTO.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because a failover group with a secondary in another region provides automatic failover, and General Purpose tier is cost-effective. Option B is wrong because zone redundancy is within region. Option C is wrong because Hyperscale is more expensive.

Option D is wrong because geo-restore has higher RTO (hours).

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95

MCQeasy

Your company requires that all production databases in Azure SQL Database have an RPO of less than 5 seconds and an RTO of less than 1 minute during a regional outage. You need to recommend a high availability and disaster recovery solution. Which feature should you use?

A.Zone-redundant configuration (Hyperscale service tier)

B.Auto-failover groups with active geo-replication

C.Long-term retention (LTR) backups

D.Geo-restore from geo-redundant backups

AnswerB

Provides low RPO and RTO across regions.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because failover groups with active geo-replication provide the lowest RPO and RTO for regional outages. Option A is wrong because zone-redundant configuration protects only within a region. Option B is wrong because auto-failover groups without geo-replication are for within-region.

Option D is wrong because long-term retention backup is for archival, not DR.

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96

Multi-Selecthard

You are designing a high availability and disaster recovery solution for an Azure SQL Managed Instance that hosts a mission-critical database. You need to ensure zero data loss during planned maintenance and automatic failover within 30 seconds. Additionally, you must protect against a regional outage with an RPO of 5 minutes and an RTO of 1 hour. Which TWO features should you implement? (Select two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Configure long-term backup retention with geo-redundant storage.

B.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary region.

C.Configure a failover group to a secondary region.

D.Deploy the instance in the Business Critical tier with zone redundancy.

E.Deploy the instance in the General Purpose tier with zone redundancy.

AnswersC, D

Provides cross-region DR with RPO of 5 minutes and RTO of 1 hour.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because Business Critical tier with zone redundancy provides zero data loss and fast failover within a region. Option C is correct because a failover group to another region provides DR with RPO of 5 minutes and RTO of 1 hour. Option B is wrong because General Purpose tier does not support zone redundancy.

Option D is wrong because default backup retention does not meet RPO/RTO. Option E is wrong because active geo-replication is not supported for Managed Instance.

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97

MCQmedium

You manage a SQL Managed Instance in the East US region. The instance must be recoverable within 1 hour in the event of a regional disaster. You need to configure a secondary replica in a paired region with automatic failover. Which solution meets the requirement?

A.Configure log shipping to a secondary instance in West US.

B.Enable geo-redundant backup storage and use geo-restore.

C.Create an auto-failover group with a secondary replica in West US.

D.Deploy an Always On availability group with a synchronous secondary in West US.

AnswerC

Auto-failover groups provide automatic failover within minutes and an RTO of 1 hour is achievable.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because SQL Managed Instance supports automatic failover groups with a readable secondary in a paired region. Option A is wrong because geo-restore takes up to 12 hours. Option B is wrong because log shipping is not supported for Managed Instance.

Option D is wrong because Always On availability groups require manual failover configuration.

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98

Multi-Selectmedium

You need to design a disaster recovery solution for an Azure SQL Database that uses the General Purpose service tier. The solution must have an RTO of 1 hour and an RPO of 15 minutes. Which THREE options can achieve these requirements?

Select 3 answers

A.Point-in-time restore (PITR) using geo-redundant backup storage.

B.Long-term retention (LTR) backups.

C.Auto-failover group with a secondary in a different region.

D.Active geo-replication to a secondary server in a paired region.

E.Zone redundancy on the primary database.

AnswersA, C, D

PITR can restore to a point within 15 minutes if backups are taken frequently.

Why this answer

Options A, B, and C are correct. Active geo-replication can meet the RPO of 15 minutes with asynchronous replication. Auto-failover groups use geo-replication and provide automatic failover, also meeting the RPO.

Point-in-time restore with geo-redundant backup storage can restore to a point in time within the backup retention period, which can be within 15 minutes if the backups are taken frequently (every 5-10 minutes). Option D (zone redundancy) does not provide DR across regions. Option E (long-term retention) does not meet RPO as it retains backups for longer periods but not for quick recovery.

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99

MCQmedium

Your company runs a global e-commerce application using Azure SQL Database in the West Europe region. You need to implement a solution that provides automatic failover and allows the secondary region to be used for read-only queries during normal operations. The secondary must be in a different region. Which configuration meets these requirements?

A.Enable read scale-out on the primary database.

B.Create an auto-failover group with a secondary in West US and use the secondary as readable.

C.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary server in West US and implement application-level failover logic.

D.Configure geo-restore with a recovery point objective of 1 hour.

AnswerC

Active geo-replication provides a readable secondary in a different region and supports application-level failover.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because active geo-replication allows a readable secondary in a different region, and application-level failover can be automated. Option A is wrong because auto-failover groups with a secondary in the same region cannot be used for cross-region read-only queries. Option B is wrong because read scale-out only works within the same region.

Option C is wrong because geo-restore is not for continuous read access.

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100

MCQmedium

Refer to the exhibit. You have an Azure SQL Managed Instance configured with the failover group properties shown. The primary region experiences an outage. After 30 minutes, the failover group has not failed over. You need to force failover immediately. What should you do?

A.Change the failover policy to Manual and then fail over.

B.Set the secondaryType to Standby.

C.Use the Switch-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup cmdlet with -AllowDataLoss.

D.Wait for the grace period to expire.

AnswerC

Even though automatic failover is waiting for the grace period, you can force failover with data loss.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because the grace period is 60 minutes; after 30 minutes, you can force failover with data loss by using -AllowDataLoss. Option B is wrong because the grace period has not expired. Option C is wrong because the failover policy is already Automatic.

Option D is wrong because the secondary type is Geo, which is correct.

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101

MCQhard

Your company has an Azure SQL Managed Instance in the General Purpose tier. You need to configure a failover group for disaster recovery. The secondary managed instance must be in a different region and must also be used for read-only workloads. During a failover, you want to minimize data loss. Which configuration should you use?

A.Enable zone redundancy on the primary and secondary instances.

B.Create a failover group and configure the secondary instance to allow read-only connections.

C.Configure log shipping between the primary and secondary instances.

D.Use active geo-replication instead of a failover group.

AnswerB

Failover groups support readable secondary and minimize data loss.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because failover groups support readable secondary by default, and you can configure the secondary to be used for read-only queries by setting the connection string with ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly. Option A (zone redundancy) is not for geo-DR. Option B (active geo-replication) is not supported for managed instances.

Option D (log shipping) is not built-in.

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102

MCQmedium

Your company has an Azure SQL Database that uses active geo-replication to a secondary region. The primary database is hit by a logical corruption error. You need to restore the database to a point before the corruption occurred with minimal data loss. What should you do?

A.Fail over to the secondary region and then fail back.

B.Use the geo-replicated secondary to recover the data.

C.Seeding the secondary from a backup of the primary.

D.Restore the primary database to a point in time before the corruption using automated backups.

AnswerD

Point-in-time restore can recover to a state before the corruption.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because geo-replication replicates changes that may include the corruption; you cannot revert to a point before corruption without a backup. Option A is wrong because failover would bring the corrupted data to the secondary. Option B is wrong because geo-replication replicates the corruption.

Option C is wrong because point-in-time restore to a time before corruption is the correct approach.

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103

MCQhard

You are designing a disaster recovery plan for an Azure SQL Managed Instance that hosts a critical OLTP workload. The primary instance is deployed in West Europe. You need to ensure that failover to a secondary region occurs automatically when the primary becomes unavailable due to a regional outage, and that the secondary database is readable during normal operations. You also want to minimize storage costs. What should you configure?

A.Deploy a secondary instance using a Bicep template with geo-zone-redundant storage.

B.Implement auto-failover groups with a readable secondary in another region.

C.Configure active geo-replication between two managed instances.

D.Create a failover group between the primary and a secondary managed instance in a paired region.

AnswerD

Failover groups for SQL Managed Instance provide automatic failover and a readable secondary replica, meeting all requirements.

Why this answer

Option B is correct. Azure SQL Managed Instance supports failover groups with readable secondary replicas. By default, the secondary is read-only and can be used for read-only workloads, reducing the need for separate reporting databases.

The failover group provides automatic failover. Option A is wrong because geo-replication is available only for SQL Database, not SQL Managed Instance. Option C is wrong because a Bicep template is used for deployment, not for configuring DR.

Option D is wrong because auto-failover groups do include readable secondaries, but the correct answer is simply failover groups, as they encompass the feature.

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104

MCQhard

You are reviewing a JSON configuration for an Azure SQL Database. The exhibit shows the database properties. Which statement about this database is correct?

A.The database has one high-availability replica.

B.The configuration is invalid because General Purpose tier cannot be zone-redundant.

C.The database uses locally-redundant backup storage.

D.The database is in General Purpose tier and supports zone redundancy.

AnswerB

Zone redundancy is only supported in Business Critical and Premium tiers.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because zoneRedundant is set to true, which requires a premium service tier. General Purpose (GP) does not support zone redundancy. The configuration is invalid.

Option A is wrong because GP does not support zone redundancy. Option B is wrong because highAvailabilityReplicaCount is 0, not 1. Option D is wrong because backupStorageRedundancy is Geo, which is valid.

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105

MCQhard

Your company has a SQL Server on Azure VM running a critical database. The VM is in a single availability set. You need to achieve a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 5 minutes and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 15 minutes in case of an Azure region failure. What should you implement?

A.Configure SQL Server Always On Availability Groups with synchronous commit to a secondary VM in another region.

B.Configure Azure Site Recovery to replicate the VM to a secondary region.

C.Use Azure Backup with daily backups and geo-restore.

D.Store database files on geo-redundant storage (GRS) and enable auto-failover.

AnswerB

Azure Site Recovery provides replication with RPO of seconds to minutes and RTO of minutes.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because Azure Site Recovery can replicate the VM to another region and provide the required RPO and RTO. Option B is wrong because Always On Availability Groups on Azure VMs require at least two VMs and a witness, and may not achieve 5-minute RPO without synchronous commit (which adds latency). Option C is wrong because Azure Backup has typical RPO of 24 hours for daily backups.

Option D is wrong because geo-redundant storage does not provide application-consistent recovery.

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106

Multi-Selecthard

Which THREE of the following are required considerations when configuring a failover group for Azure SQL Managed Instance?

Select 3 answers

A.Both instances must be in the same partner region pair.

B.Both instances must have the same service tier.

C.The secondary instance must be in a different Azure region.

D.Automatic failover must be enabled.

E.The databases must be in the same resource group.

AnswersA, C, E

Correct: Failover groups require partner regions.

Why this answer

Options A, B, and D are correct. Both instances must be in the same partner region pair (e.g., East US and West US). The secondary instance must be in a different region.

The databases must be in the same resource group. Option C is incorrect because the secondary instance can have different service tiers. Option E is incorrect because failover groups support automatic failover, but the question asks for considerations; automatic failover is a feature, not a requirement.

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107

MCQmedium

You have an Azure SQL Database in the Hyperscale service tier. You need to ensure that the database remains available during a single Azure zone failure. The solution must not require manual intervention. What should you configure?

A.Create a failover group with a secondary in a different zone.

B.Enable zone redundancy on the Hyperscale database.

C.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary server in a different zone.

D.Configure an auto-failover group with a secondary in a different zone.

AnswerB

Hyperscale zone redundancy provides automatic recovery from zone failure.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because Hyperscale supports zone redundancy, which automatically places replicas in different zones. Option B (active geo-replication) is for DR, not zone failure. Option C (failover group) is for managed instances.

Option D (auto-failover group) is for managed instances, not Hyperscale databases.

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108

Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO actions should you take to achieve high availability for an Azure SQL Managed Instance with a 99.99% SLA? (Choose two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Enable automated backups with long-term retention.

B.Use Business Critical service tier.

C.Deploy the instance as zone-redundant.

D.Configure geo-replication to a secondary region.

E.Use General Purpose service tier.

AnswersB, C

Business Critical provides the highest SLA within a region.

Why this answer

Options A and C are correct. Zone-redundant deployment provides resilience against zone failures, and Business Critical service tier provides the highest availability within a zone. Option B is incorrect because General Purpose does not provide 99.99% SLA.

Option D is incorrect because geo-replication is for disaster recovery, not high availability. Option E is incorrect because automatic backups do not contribute to high availability SLA.

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109

MCQhard

You are the database administrator for a global e-commerce company that uses Azure SQL Database for its product catalog. The database is currently deployed in the East US region using the General Purpose service tier. The company is expanding to Europe and wants to improve disaster recovery posture. The new requirements are: RPO of 5 seconds, RTO of 1 hour, and the ability to serve read traffic from the secondary region during normal operations. The budget is limited, so you must minimize cost while meeting these requirements. The application connection strings can be updated to a listener endpoint. What should you recommend?

A.Keep the primary as General Purpose, create a readable secondary in the same region, and configure active geo-replication to a secondary in West Europe.

B.Upgrade the primary to Business Critical, configure a failover group with a readable secondary in West Europe using Business Critical, and use the listener endpoint for application connections.

C.Deploy a zone-redundant Business Critical database in East US and use auto-failover groups to a secondary in West Europe with General Purpose.

D.Upgrade the primary database to Business Critical, create a readable secondary in the same region, and use geo-restore for DR.

AnswerB

Business Critical meets RPO, readable secondary serves read traffic, failover group provides automated failover with listener endpoint.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because it uses Business Critical in the primary region for low RPO and readable secondary in the secondary region for read traffic, while using a failover group for automated failover. Option A is wrong because General Purpose cannot meet 5-second RPO. Option B is wrong because a readable secondary in the same region doesn't serve read traffic from Europe.

Option C is wrong because zone-redundancy doesn't protect regionally.

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110

MCQeasy

You are designing a disaster recovery plan for an Azure SQL Database that stores critical financial data. The RPO must be 5 seconds, and the RTO must be 30 seconds. Which solution should you recommend?

A.Zone-redundant configuration within the primary region.

B.Failover groups with automatic failover policy.

C.Active geo-replication with manual failover.

D.Automated backups with geo-restore.

AnswerB

Correct: Provides low RPO and RTO with automatic failover.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because failover groups with automatic failover can achieve RPO of 5 seconds and RTO of 30 seconds. Option B is incorrect because active geo-replication has a higher RPO (typically 5 seconds as well) but requires manual failover, increasing RTO. Option C is incorrect because automated backups have much higher RPO and RTO.

Option D is incorrect because zone-redundant configuration only protects within a region.

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111

MCQmedium

Your company has a compliance requirement to keep database backups for 10 years. You are using Azure SQL Database. Which backup retention feature should you use?

A.Long-term retention (LTR) policy

B.Geo-redundant storage (GRS)

C.Automated backups

D.Point-in-time restore (PITR)

AnswerA

LTR can retain backups for up to 10 years.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because long-term retention (LTR) policy can retain full backups for up to 10 years. Point-in-time restore (A) is limited to 35 days. Geo-redundant storage (B) is about storage redundancy, not retention period.

Automated backups (C) have a maximum retention of 35 days.

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112

MCQmedium

You have an Azure SQL Database in the General Purpose service tier. The database must be available during a planned patching event that updates the underlying infrastructure. What high availability feature is provided by default?

A.Active geo-replication

B.Zone-redundant availability

C.Built-in high availability with a standby replica

D.Business Critical service tier

AnswerC

General Purpose provides local HA via compute failover.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because the General Purpose service tier uses local redundancy with built-in high availability through a standby replica on a different node. Option A is wrong because zone redundancy is not default for General Purpose. Option C is wrong because geo-replication requires manual setup.

Option D is wrong because Business Critical is a different tier.

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113

MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. You run the Azure CLI command to check the configuration of an Azure SQL Database named db1. The output shows zoneRedundant is true and replicationRole is Primary. Which statement is true about this database?

A.The database is configured with active geo-replication to a secondary region.

B.The database is zone-redundant and is the primary database in its replication relationship.

C.The database is a Hyperscale database with zone redundancy enabled.

D.The database has a readable secondary replica in a different Azure availability zone.

AnswerB

ZoneRedundant true and replicationRole Primary indicate a zone-redundant primary.

Why this answer

Option C is correct. The output shows the database is a primary database with zone redundancy enabled. It does not indicate any geo-replication relationship.

Option A (replica in another zone) is true but not directly shown; zone redundancy means there are replicas in different zones. Option B (geo-replication) is false because replicationRole is Primary, not Secondary. Option D (Hyperscale) is false because Hyperscale does not have zoneRedundant in the same way.

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114

MCQeasy

Your company runs a mission-critical Azure SQL Database in the East US region. To meet an RPO of 5 seconds and an RTO of 30 minutes in the event of a regional outage, which deployment option should you choose?

A.Failover groups with auto-failover policy

B.Zone-redundant configuration

C.Point-in-time restore

D.Active geo-replication with manual failover

AnswerA

Failover groups maintain a readable secondary and automatically fail over when primary becomes unavailable, meeting RPO of 5 seconds and RTO of 30 minutes.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because failover groups with auto-failover policy provide automatic failover with an RPO of 5 seconds (default) and RTO of 30 minutes. Active geo-replication requires manual failover, which does not meet the RTO. Zone-redundant configuration only protects within a region.

Backup restore has much higher RPO/RTO.

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115

MCQeasy

Your company has an Azure SQL Database with a failover group configured to a secondary region. The primary region experiences a temporary network issue. The failover group is set to automatic failover with a grace period of 1 hour. What will happen?

A.Automatic failover will happen immediately.

B.You must manually initiate failover.

C.Automatic failover will start after 1 hour if the primary is still unreachable.

D.The secondary database will be deleted and re-created.

AnswerC

The grace period delays automatic failover.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because automatic failover occurs only after the grace period expires and the primary is unreachable. Option B is incorrect because the grace period allows time for the primary to recover. Option C is incorrect because the secondary is already provisioned.

Option D is incorrect because you cannot manually failover during the grace period if automatic failover is enabled.

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116

MCQmedium

You manage a mission-critical Azure SQL Database in the East US region. The database uses the Business Critical service tier with zone-redundant high availability enabled. You need to ensure that if an entire Azure region fails, the database can be failed over to a secondary region with minimal data loss. What should you implement?

A.Enable auto-failover groups with read-write failover policy.

B.Configure a failover group with the secondary in a different Azure region.

C.Enable active geo-replication to a secondary server in a paired region.

D.Deploy zone-redundant configuration in East US 2.

AnswerC

Active geo-replication provides asynchronous replication to a secondary region, enabling manual or automatic failover with minimal data loss.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because active geo-replication provides near-real-time asynchronous replication to a secondary region, and with Business Critical, you can configure a readable secondary that can be failed over manually or automatically with minimal data loss. Option A is wrong because failover groups are built on top of geo-replication but do not guarantee minimal data loss by themselves; they rely on the replication mode. Option B is wrong because auto-failover groups include geo-replication but the question asks for the specific feature to implement.

Option D is wrong because zone redundancy protects against zonal failures within a region, not regional failures.

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117

MCQhard

Your company uses Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication configured between two regions. The primary database in East US experiences a critical failure, and you initiate a manual failover to the secondary in West US. After the failover, you need to re-establish geo-replication to a new secondary database in a third region (Central US) to restore the DR capability. What is the correct sequence of actions?

A.Delete the old primary and create a new geo-secondary in Central US.

B.Add a new secondary in Central US on the current primary.

C.Perform a planned failover to the old primary, then configure geo-replication to Central US.

D.Remove the geo-replication link to the old primary, then add a new secondary in Central US.

AnswerD

Removing the old link allows you to create a new secondary on the current primary.

Why this answer

Option C is correct. After a failover, the old primary becomes a secondary (if still available). To reconfigure geo-replication with a new secondary, you need to remove the old secondary relationship, then create a new secondary.

Option A is wrong because you cannot add a new secondary without removing the old one first. Option B is wrong because you do not need to create a new primary; the current primary (formerly secondary) is fine. Option D is wrong because geo-replication does not automatically create a new secondary.

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118

MCQeasy

You are responsible for the disaster recovery of an Azure SQL Database that supports a customer-facing application. The database is 50 GB and uses the General Purpose service tier. The application requires an RPO of 1 hour and an RTO of 2 hours. The company has a limited budget and wants to minimize costs. You need to recommend a DR solution that meets the requirements without incurring additional compute costs for a secondary database. Which option should you choose?

A.Enable active geo-replication to a secondary database in a different region.

B.Use point-in-time restore (PITR) with geo-redundant backup storage.

C.Enable zone redundancy on the primary database.

D.Configure a failover group with a secondary in a different region.

AnswerB

PITR does not require a secondary database; it restores from backups, minimizing costs.

Why this answer

Option C is correct. Point-in-time restore using geo-redundant backup storage does not require a secondary database; you restore from backups in case of a regional outage. The RTO of 2 hours is achievable for a 50 GB database, and the RPO of 1 hour is within the backup retention (every 5-10 minutes).

Option A is wrong because active geo-replication incurs compute costs for the secondary. Option B is wrong because failover groups also incur compute costs. Option D is wrong because zone redundancy does not provide cross-region DR.

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119

MCQhard

You manage an Azure SQL Managed Instance in the East US region. To meet a 5-second RPO, you configure a failover group with a secondary in West US. During a planned maintenance, the primary becomes unavailable. The failover group is set to automatic with a grace period of 1 hour. You need to minimize downtime. What should you do?

A.Drop the failover group and create a new one with immediate failover.

B.Wait for the automatic failover to occur after the grace period.

C.Alter the failover group grace period to 0 and wait for automatic failover.

D.Initiate a manual forced failover to the secondary.

AnswerD

Manual failover instantly promotes the secondary.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because performing a manual failover immediately reduces downtime without waiting for the grace period. Option A is wrong because waiting for automatic failover would take up to 1 hour. Option B is wrong because altering the grace period requires downtime.

Option C is wrong because creating a new secondary takes time.

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120

MCQhard

Your company has a SQL Server on Azure VM hosting a critical database. You need to ensure high availability with automatic failover and no data loss during a planned patching event. The solution must minimize cost. Which configuration should you use?

A.Migrate to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance and configure geo-replication.

B.Configure log shipping with a secondary VM in another region.

C.Use a single VM with a failover cluster instance (FCI) using Storage Spaces Direct.

D.Deploy two Azure VMs in an availability set, configure SQL Server Always On availability group with synchronous commit and automatic failover.

AnswerD

Synchronous replication ensures zero data loss; automatic failover works for planned patching.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because SQL Server Always On availability groups with synchronous replication and automatic failover meet the requirement of no data loss and automatic failover. Option B is wrong because FCI with Storage Spaces Direct does not provide automatic failover for planned patching. Option C is wrong because log shipping is not automatic.

Option D is wrong because Azure SQL Database Managed Instance is not for SQL Server on Azure VM.

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121

MCQhard

You have a SQL Server on Azure VM running SQL Server 2022 with a Distributed availability group (DAG) for disaster recovery across two Azure regions. You need to ensure that the secondary replica can become the primary without data loss if the primary region fails. What setting must be configured?

A.Backup preference set to secondary

B.Asynchronous commit mode on the distributed AG

C.Synchronous commit mode on the distributed AG

D.Automatic seeding enabled

AnswerC

Synchronous commit ensures no data loss on failover.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because synchronous commit mode with automatic seeding ensures that all committed transactions are replicated to the secondary before acknowledgment. Option A is incorrect because asynchronous commit may cause data loss. Option B is incorrect because backup priority does not affect data loss.

Option C is incorrect because automatic seeding is for initial setup, not ongoing synchronization.

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122

MCQmedium

You manage a critical SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machine running SQL Server 2019. The VM is in a single availability set. You need to ensure automatic failover in case of a zone-level failure. What should you implement?

A.Deploy the VM in an availability zone and configure an Always On availability group with a secondary replica in another zone.

B.Place the VM in an availability set.

C.Enable geo-replication to another Azure region.

D.Configure automated backups with long-term retention.

AnswerA

Zone-redundant deployment provides automatic failover for zone failures.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because deploying the VM in an availability zone with Azure SQL Managed Instance or SQL Server on Azure VM with Always On availability groups using zone-redundant storage provides zone-level resilience. Option B is incorrect because geo-replication is for regional failures, not zonal. Option C is incorrect because automated backups do not provide failover.

Option D is incorrect because a single VM in an availability set protects against rack failures but not zone failures.

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123

Multi-Selecthard

You are tasked with designing a disaster recovery solution for Azure SQL Database that meets an RPO of 5 seconds and an RTO of 30 seconds during a regional outage. Which TWO features should you combine?

Select 2 answers

A.General Purpose service tier

B.Business Critical service tier

C.Failover groups with active geo-replication

D.Geo-restore from GRS backups

E.Zone-redundant configuration

AnswersB, C

Provides low latency and high availability.

Why this answer

Options B and E are correct because failover groups with active geo-replication provide low RPO and RTO, and using Business Critical service tier in both regions ensures low latency and high performance. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because zone redundancy is within region, geo-restore has high RTO, and General Purpose might not meet RPO.

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124

Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO of the following are benefits of using Azure SQL Database failover groups compared to active geo-replication? (Choose Two.)

Select 2 answers

A.Failover groups allow you to fail over multiple databases simultaneously.

B.Failover groups provide a read-write listener endpoint that remains unchanged after a failover.

C.Failover groups automatically fail over without any manual intervention.

D.Failover groups provide a readable secondary replica for read-only workloads.

E.Failover groups eliminate the need for geo-redundant storage.

AnswersA, B

Correct.

Why this answer

Options A and D are correct. Failover groups allow multiple databases to fail over together as a unit (A) and provide a read-write listener endpoint that automatically updates after failover (D). Option B is incorrect because geo-replication also supports readable secondaries.

Option C is incorrect because failover groups do not provide automatic failover without manual or auto-failover policy. Option E is incorrect because failover groups do not require additional costs beyond geo-replication.

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125

MCQmedium

You have an Azure SQL Database that uses active geo-replication with a readable secondary in another region. You need to ensure that if a failover occurs, the application can automatically reconnect to the new primary with minimal code changes. What should you configure?

A.Manually update the DNS record to point to the new primary after failover.

B.Configure a failover group listener endpoint and use that in the connection string.

C.Use Azure Traffic Manager with priority routing to the secondary server.

D.Implement retry logic in the application to reconnect to the secondary server after failover.

AnswerD

Retry logic with appropriate connection string allows automatic reconnection.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because using a retry logic with a connection string that includes the failover partner (or using the ApplicationIntent=ReadWrite) and implementing retry logic allows the application to reconnect automatically. Option A is wrong because the listener endpoint is a feature of failover groups, not active geo-replication. Option B is wrong because Traffic Manager can be used but adds complexity.

Option C is wrong because the application needs to handle failover; DNS change is not automatic.

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126

MCQhard

Your company runs a mission-critical database on Azure SQL Managed Instance in the East US region. To comply with a new regulatory requirement, you must ensure that the database can be recovered within 15 minutes in the event of a regional disaster, with a maximum data loss of 10 seconds. You also need to minimize compute costs during normal operations. What should you configure?

A.Use a General Purpose instance with a failover group to a secondary instance in a paired region.

B.Configure a zone-redundant Business Critical instance in East US only, without a geo-secondary.

C.Deploy the primary instance as Business Critical with a zone-redundant secondary replica, and configure a failover group to a secondary instance in a paired region using Business Critical with a non-readable secondary.

D.Deploy the primary instance as Business Critical with a readable secondary replica, and configure a failover group to a secondary instance in a paired region using General Purpose.

AnswerC

This meets the RPO and RTO with minimal cost by avoiding an extra readable replica.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because a failover group with a geo-secondary instance using the Business Critical service tier and a secondary replica that is not readable (no read scale-out) provides synchronous commit within the primary region and asynchronous geo-replication, meeting the RPO of 10 seconds and RTO of 15 minutes while minimizing cost by not using a readable secondary for read workloads. Option B is wrong because a readable secondary increases cost without benefit. Option C is wrong because General Purpose does not offer synchronous replication within the region, leading to higher data loss.

Option D is wrong because zone-redundancy does not protect against regional failure.

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127

MCQhard

You have configured a failover group using the JSON template shown. The primary server is server1 in East US, and the secondary server is server2 in West US. During a test, you notice that read-only queries against the secondary endpoint are failing. What is the most likely cause?

A.The read-only endpoint failover policy is disabled.

B.The database is not included in the failover group databases list.

C.The failover grace period is set too high.

D.The read-write endpoint failover policy is set to Automatic.

AnswerA

Disabled policy prevents read-only routing to secondary.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because the readOnlyEndpoint failover policy is set to Disabled, meaning read-only routing is not enabled. Option A is wrong because read-write policy is automatic. Option C is wrong because the database is listed correctly.

Option D is wrong because the grace period is set.

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128

MCQeasy

You have an Azure SQL Database that uses the General Purpose service tier. The database is critical and you need to protect against a regional outage with an RPO of 1 hour and an RTO of 12 hours. What is the most cost-effective solution?

A.Use geo-restore with the default backup retention.

B.Enable active geo-replication.

C.Configure auto-failover group with a secondary in a different region.

D.Deploy a zone-redundant configuration.

AnswerA

Geo-restore is included with backups and meets the RPO/RTO requirements.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because geo-restore meets an RPO of 1 hour and RTO of 12 hours at no extra cost beyond backup storage. Option A is wrong because it is more expensive than needed. Option B is wrong because it also incurs extra cost.

Option D is wrong because it does not protect against regional failure.

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129

MCQmedium

After running the above Azure CLI command, you notice that the secondary database is not readable. What is the most likely reason?

A.Geo-replication does not support readable secondaries by default

B.The secondary database capacity is set to 2 DTUs, which is too low

C.The '--secondary-type' parameter is set to 'Geo' instead of 'Readable'

D.The hardware generation is Gen5, which does not support readable secondaries

AnswerC

Setting secondary-type to 'Geo' disables read access; use 'Readable' to allow reads.

Why this answer

Option A is correct. The '--secondary-type Geo' parameter sets the secondary to 'Geo' type, which is not readable. To make it readable, you must specify '--secondary-type Readable' (or 'Named').

Option B is incorrect because the capacity is for the secondary, but it does not affect readability. Option C is incorrect because Gen5 is a valid generation. Option D is incorrect because geo-replication does not support auto-failover; that's failover groups.

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130

MCQmedium

You are planning a disaster recovery strategy for an Azure SQL Database that supports a critical financial application. The database is deployed in the Brazil South region. Because of data sovereignty requirements, the secondary database must also be located in Brazil, but in a different availability zone. The application requires an RPO of 10 seconds and an RTO of 30 minutes. The database size is 2 TB and you need to minimize egress costs. What should you do?

A.Deploy the database using the Business Critical service tier with zone redundancy and a failover group.

B.Deploy the database using the Hyperscale service tier with zone-redundant configuration.

C.Use the General Purpose service tier with a zone-redundant backup configuration.

D.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary database in a different Brazilian region (e.g., Brazil Southeast).

AnswerB

Hyperscale supports zone redundancy, provides fast failover, and meets the RPO/RTO with asynchronous replication across zones.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because Hyperscale supports zone-redundant configuration with fast failover, and the RPO/RTO can be met with asynchronous replication across zones. Option B is wrong because Business Critical in the same region cannot provide DR across zones. Option C is wrong because General Purpose does not meet the RPO.

Option D is wrong because active geo-replication to a different region violates data sovereignty and increases costs.

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131

MCQeasy

You need to design a disaster recovery plan for an Azure SQL Managed Instance. The recovery time objective (RTO) is 1 hour, and the recovery point objective (RPO) is 15 minutes. What is the most cost-effective solution?

A.Configure active geo-replication between instances in different regions.

B.Set up log shipping to a secondary instance.

C.Create an auto-failover group with a secondary instance in a paired region.

D.Use point-in-time restore to a secondary region.

AnswerC

Auto-failover groups provide low RTO and RPO for Managed Instance.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because auto-failover groups with a secondary in a paired region provide RTO of ~1 hour and RPO of 5 seconds to 5 minutes, meeting the requirements cost-effectively. Option A is incorrect because active geo-replication is not supported for Managed Instance. Option B is incorrect because log shipping is not natively supported.

Option C is incorrect because point-in-time restore has longer RTO.

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132

MCQmedium

Your company has an Azure SQL Managed Instance in the UK South region. You need to implement a disaster recovery solution that provides automatic failover to a secondary region and allows read-only workloads to use the secondary replica. The solution must minimize data loss. What should you configure?

A.Deploy a second managed instance and use auto-failover groups

B.Create an availability group in the secondary region and configure automatic failover

C.Configure a failover group between two managed instances

D.Enable active geo-replication and configure auto-failover using PowerShell

AnswerA

Failover groups for Managed Instance provide automatic failover and readable secondary.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because a failover group for Azure SQL Managed Instance provides automatic failover and a readable secondary. Option A is for SQL Server on VMs. Option B is for Azure SQL Database, not Managed Instance.

Option C is incorrect because automatic failover is a feature of failover groups, not a separate configuration.

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133

MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. You are reviewing the configuration of an Azure SQL Database hyperscale service tier. The database 'SalesDB' has read scale enabled with 2 read replicas. You need to ensure that if the primary region fails, the database can be failed over to a secondary region with minimal data loss and that the read replicas in the secondary region are also available. What should you configure?

A.Configure zone redundancy on the Hyperscale database.

B.Create a named replica in a secondary region and configure it as a geo-secondary.

C.Enable active geo-replication to a secondary server in a different region.

D.Create a failover group with a secondary Hyperscale database in another region.

AnswerB

Named replicas can be created in a secondary region and promoted during failover, providing DR and read scalability.

Why this answer

Option D is correct. For Hyperscale, you can configure named replicas that can be placed in a secondary region. These replicas can be promoted to primary in case of failover, and they also support read scaling.

Option A is wrong because zone redundancy only protects within a region. Option B is wrong because failover groups are not supported for Hyperscale in the traditional sense; named replicas are used. Option C is wrong because geo-replication is not a standalone feature for Hyperscale; named replicas provide geo-replication.

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134

MCQmedium

Your company has an Azure SQL Database that uses a failover group with a secondary in a different region. You need to ensure that read-only queries are directed to the secondary database to offload the primary. What should you configure?

A.Add ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly to the connection string and use the failover group listener.

B.Use a Traffic Manager profile to route read traffic.

C.Enable read-scale for the database.

D.Configure a separate connection string pointing to the secondary server.

AnswerA

The read-only listener routes to the secondary when ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly is specified.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because the failover group provides a read-only listener endpoint that can be used for read-only queries. Option A is wrong because ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly in the connection string combined with the read-only listener routes to secondary. Option B is wrong because read-only routing is not automatic without the listener.

Option D is wrong because read-scale is a separate feature, not for geo-replicated secondaries.

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135

MCQmedium

You are migrating an on-premises SQL Server database to Azure SQL Managed Instance. The database is 500 GB and requires a disaster recovery solution with an RPO of 15 seconds and automatic failover to a secondary region. Which configuration meets these requirements?

A.Enable geo-redundant backup storage and configure geo-restore.

B.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary instance in another region.

C.Set up log shipping to a secondary instance in another region.

D.Create an auto-failover group with a secondary instance in a paired region using synchronous replication.

AnswerD

Auto-failover groups support automatic failover and synchronous replication for low RPO.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because auto-failover groups for Managed Instance provide automatic failover and can achieve low RPO with synchronous replication. Option A is wrong because geo-redundant backup does not provide automatic failover. Option C is wrong because log shipping is not supported.

Option D is wrong because active geo-replication is not supported for Managed Instance.

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136

MCQmedium

You manage an Azure SQL Managed Instance that hosts a line-of-business application. The instance is currently deployed in the UK South region using the General Purpose service tier. The business has a new requirement for disaster recovery with an RPO of 30 minutes and an RTO of 2 hours. You need to implement a solution that minimizes ongoing costs. The secondary region should be UK West. The application can tolerate a brief outage during failover. What should you do?

A.Deploy a zone-redundant General Purpose instance in UK South only.

B.Keep the current instance and rely on geo-restore to UK West.

C.Upgrade both instances to Business Critical and configure a failover group.

D.Deploy a secondary General Purpose instance in UK West and configure a failover group.

AnswerD

General Purpose instances with failover group meet the RPO/RTO at lower cost.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because a failover group with General Purpose instances meets the RPO/RTO at minimal cost. Option A is wrong because zone-redundancy doesn't protect regionally. Option C is wrong because Business Critical is more expensive than needed.

Option D is wrong because manual restore cannot meet RTO.

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137

MCQeasy

You are preparing a disaster recovery runbook. You plan to use the PowerShell command shown in the exhibit to restore a database to a different region. What must be true for this command to succeed?

A.The source database must have geo-redundant backup storage configured.

B.The source database must have point-in-time restore enabled.

C.The source database must be online at the time of restoration.

D.The target server must be in the same region as the source server.

AnswerA

Required for geo-restore.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because Restore-AzSqlDatabase with -FromGeoBackup requires that the source database has geo-redundant backups (geo-redundant storage) enabled. Option A is incorrect because the source database does not need to be online; geo-backups are taken automatically. Option C is incorrect because the command uses -FromGeoBackup, not -FromPointInTimeBackup.

Option D is incorrect because the target server can be different.

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138

Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO of the following are benefits of using Azure SQL Database failover groups compared to active geo-replication alone?

Select 2 answers

A.Support for manual failover.

B.Failover of multiple databases in a single group.

C.Readable secondary replicas for read-scale workloads.

D.Automatic failover based on the grace period.

E.Synchronous data replication to the secondary.

AnswersB, D

Correct: Failover groups allow coordinated failover of multiple databases.

Why this answer

Failover groups extend active geo-replication by allowing you to manage failover for a group of databases as a single unit. This simplifies the failover process when you have multiple databases that must be failed over together to maintain application consistency. Option B is correct because failover groups support the coordinated failover of multiple databases, which active geo-replication alone does not.

Exam trap

The trap here is that candidates confuse the features of active geo-replication (like readable secondaries and manual failover) with the unique benefits of failover groups, which are specifically the ability to fail over multiple databases as a group and the automatic failover based on a grace period.

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139

MCQmedium

Your company runs a mission-critical application on Azure SQL Database in the East US region. You need to ensure automatic failover with zero data loss in case of a regional outage. Which deployment option should you use?

A.Deploy a Business Critical tier database and configure an auto-failover group with a readable secondary in a paired region.

B.Deploy a General Purpose tier database with geo-replication.

C.Deploy a Hyperscale tier database with zone redundancy.

D.Deploy a Serverless tier database with active geo-replication.

AnswerA

Business Critical supports synchronous replication and auto-failover groups, ensuring zero data loss on failover.

Why this answer

Option C is correct because Azure SQL Database Business Critical tier with zone-redundant configuration provides the highest level of availability within a region, but for cross-region disaster recovery with zero data loss, you need auto-failover groups with a readable secondary in another region, which is supported in Business Critical and Premium tiers. However, the question asks for automatic failover with zero data loss; this is achieved by configuring auto-failover groups with synchronous replication, which is supported in Business Critical and Premium tiers. Option A (Hyperscale) supports zone redundancy but not synchronous replication for failover groups.

Option B (General Purpose) has asynchronous replication. Option D (Serverless) is not suitable for mission-critical workloads.

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140

MCQhard

Your company uses Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication. You need to ensure that in the event of a regional disaster, the failover to the secondary region occurs automatically with minimal downtime. The secondary region must be in a different Azure geography for compliance. What should you configure?

A.Create a failover group with automatic failover policy.

B.Create an auto-failover group using Azure CLI and set cross-geography replication.

C.Configure active geo-replication and set auto-failover policy.

D.Configure an always failover group with Microsoft Entra ID authentication.

AnswerA

Correct: Failover groups support automatic failover across regions.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because Azure SQL Database failover groups support automatic failover when paired with auto-failover policy. Active geo-replication alone does not provide automatic failover. Option A is incorrect because active geo-replication requires manual failover.

Option C is incorrect because always failover groups are not a feature. Option D is incorrect because auto-failover groups do not support cross-geography failover automatically without manual setup.

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141

MCQhard

You are designing a disaster recovery solution for a mission-critical Azure SQL Database that requires a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 5 seconds and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 30 seconds. Which configuration should you recommend?

A.Failover group with automatic failover and data loss threshold of 5 seconds.

B.Active geo-replication with manual failover.

C.Geo-restore of automated backups.

D.Zone-redundant database in the primary region.

AnswerA

Meets the required RPO and RTO.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because failover groups with automatic failover policy can achieve RPO of 5 seconds and RTO of 30 seconds when configured correctly. Option A is wrong because active geo-replication alone does not provide automatic failover. Option B is wrong because zone-redundant configuration only protects within a region, not from region-level disaster.

Option C is wrong because geo-restore has RPO of 1 hour and RTO of 12 hours.

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142

MCQhard

You run the above Kusto query and see that a database named 'OrdersDB' has high wait times for 'FAILOVER_GROUP_WAIT' every hour. What does this indicate?

A.The secondary database is experiencing high connection requests

B.The primary database is not receiving any write transactions

C.The failover group is experiencing frequent automatic failovers

D.Replication lag between primary and secondary is high

AnswerD

FAILOVER_GROUP_WAIT measures time spent waiting for replication to complete.

Why this answer

Option C is correct. 'FAILOVER_GROUP_WAIT' occurs when the secondary is behind due to replication lag. High wait times suggest significant replication lag. Option A is incorrect because the query does not indicate failover frequency.

Option B is incorrect because it measures wait, not transaction throughput. Option D is incorrect because it is not a connection wait.

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143

MCQeasy

You are a database administrator for a startup that uses Azure SQL Database for its main application. The database is currently in the West US region using the General Purpose service tier. The company expects rapid growth and wants to ensure high availability within the region. They want to minimize downtime during planned maintenance. The application uses read-heavy workloads, and they want to offload read traffic to a secondary replica. The budget is flexible but should be justified. What should you recommend?

A.Enable zone redundancy on the current General Purpose database.

B.Configure a readable secondary on the current General Purpose database.

C.Create a secondary database in a different region and use active geo-replication.

D.Upgrade the database to the Business Critical service tier and enable read scale-out.

AnswerD

Business Critical provides automatic failover and multiple replicas, and read scale-out allows offloading read traffic.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because upgrading to Business Critical provides multiple replicas, automatic failover, and the ability to enable read scale-out to offload read traffic. Option A is wrong because General Purpose has only one readable replica (if configured) but does not provide automatic HA failover. Option B is wrong because zone-redundancy adds cost but does not provide read scale-out.

Option C is wrong because active geo-replication is overkill for intra-region HA.

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144

MCQeasy

You need to design a high availability solution for an Azure SQL Database that supports an online transaction processing (OLTP) application. The solution must provide automatic failover within seconds in case of a node failure and guarantee zero data loss. Which deployment option should you choose?

A.Basic tier with zone redundancy

B.General Purpose tier with zone redundancy

C.Hyperscale tier with zone redundancy

D.Business Critical tier with zone redundancy

AnswerD

Business Critical provides synchronous replication and zero data loss.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because the Business Critical tier uses a quorum-based commit and synchronous replication to replicas, ensuring zero data loss on failover. Option A (General Purpose) uses asynchronous replication and may lose data. Option C (Hyperscale) uses a log-based service with buffer and may lose data on failover.

Option D (Basic) does not provide automatic failover with zero data loss.

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145

MCQeasy

You have an Azure SQL Database in the Business Critical tier with zone redundancy enabled. The database experiences a brief outage due to a zone failure. How does the platform automatically recover?

A.You must perform a manual failover to a secondary replica.

B.A replica in another availability zone is automatically promoted to primary.

C.The database is restored from the latest backup.

D.The database becomes read-only until the zone is restored.

AnswerB

Zone redundancy provides automatic failover to a replica in another zone.

Why this answer

Option B is correct because the Business Critical tier with zone redundancy automatically fails over to a replica in another zone without data loss. Option A is wrong because the service heals itself without manual intervention. Option C is wrong because no data loss occurs (zero data loss is guaranteed).

Option D is wrong because automatic failover happens within seconds.

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146

Multi-Selectmedium

You have an Azure SQL Managed Instance. You need to implement a disaster recovery solution that provides automatic failover with an RTO of less than 1 hour. Which THREE actions should you take?

Select 3 answers

A.Enable zone redundancy on the primary instance.

B.Create a secondary Managed Instance in a different Azure region.

C.Configure a failover group between the primary and secondary.

D.Enable geo-replication on the instance.

E.Use the Business Critical service tier for both instances.

AnswersB, C, E

Required for DR.

Why this answer

Options A, C, and E are correct because creating a secondary instance in another region, configuring a failover group, and using Business Critical tier (which supports failover groups) meet the requirements. Option B is wrong because zone redundancy is within region. Option D is wrong because geo-replication is not supported on Managed Instance directly; failover groups are used.

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147

MCQmedium

Your company has an Azure SQL Database with active geo-replication to a secondary region. During a regional outage, the secondary database becomes the primary. After the outage is resolved, you need to bring the original primary back online with minimal data loss and without creating a new secondary. What should you do?

A.Automatically re-establish geo-replication by waiting for the outage resolution.

B.Restore the original primary from a backup and then re-establish geo-replication.

C.Delete the original primary database and create a new secondary from the new primary.

D.Re-establish geo-replication from the new primary to the original primary.

AnswerD

Correct: The original primary becomes a secondary and can be re-synchronized.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because after a failover, the original primary becomes a secondary. You can safely re-establish geo-replication by failing back to the original primary or simply adding it as a secondary. Option B is wrong because geo-replication is not automatically re-established.

Option C is wrong because the original primary is still available as a secondary. Option D is wrong because you should not delete the original primary.

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148

MCQhard

You are a database administrator for a global e-commerce company. The company uses Azure SQL Database for its product catalog, which is a mission-critical OLTP workload. The database is currently deployed in the West US region using the Business Critical service tier with zone redundancy enabled. The database size is 200 GB and grows at 10 GB per month. The company has a disaster recovery requirement: in the event of a regional outage, the database must be failed over to a secondary region with an RPO of less than 5 seconds and an RTO of less than 1 minute. Additionally, the secondary database must be readable to support read-heavy reporting workloads. The solution must minimize additional compute costs. You need to recommend a configuration. Which option should you choose?

A.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary database in a paired region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.

B.Create a failover group within the same region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.

C.Add a second zone-redundant replica in the same region and configure a failover group.

D.Upgrade to Hyperscale tier with zone redundancy and configure a named replica in a secondary region.

AnswerA

Active geo-replication provides low RPO and a readable secondary, meeting all requirements.

Why this answer

Option B is correct. Business Critical with zone redundancy already provides high availability within the region. To achieve an RPO of less than 5 seconds and a readable secondary in another region, you need active geo-replication with a readable secondary.

Option A is wrong because adding another zone-redundant replica does not provide cross-region DR. Option C is wrong because a failover group in the same region does not help with regional outage. Option D is wrong because Hyperscale may be overkill and more expensive, and zone redundancy in Hyperscale does not provide cross-region DR.

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149

MCQmedium

Your company uses Azure SQL Database Hyperscale tier for a large data warehouse. You need to implement disaster recovery with the ability to perform point-in-time restore in the secondary region. What is the best approach?

A.Configure geo-replication to a secondary Hyperscale database in the secondary region.

B.Configure auto-failover groups between regions.

C.Use geo-restore of automated backups.

D.Create a failover group with manual failover.

AnswerA

Geo-replication provides a readable secondary and allows point-in-time restore in the secondary region.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because Hyperscale databases support geo-replication (currently in preview but available) which provides a readable secondary and the ability to restore backups in the secondary region. Option A is wrong because failover groups are not supported for Hyperscale. Option B is wrong because geo-backup restore has a higher RPO.

Option C is wrong because auto-failover groups are not supported.

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150

MCQeasy

You have an Azure SQL Managed Instance that is the primary in a failover group. You need to perform a manual failover for planned maintenance with zero data loss. Which PowerShell cmdlet should you use?

A.Set-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup

B.Switch-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup -AllowDataLoss:$false

C.Start-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup

D.Invoke-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup

AnswerB

This performs a planned failover with zero data loss.

Why this answer

Option D is correct because Switch-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup with -AllowDataLoss:$false ensures zero data loss. Option A is wrong because Set-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup modifies configuration, not failover. Option B is wrong because Start-AzSqlDatabaseFailoverGroup does not exist.

Option C is wrong because the cmdlet name is incorrect.

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