The two required actions are assigning a Microsoft Entra ID user or group as the Azure SQL Database admin and setting the database’s authentication mode to ‘Azure AD Only Authentication’. The first action establishes the administrative identity that can manage authentication for the database, without which no Microsoft Entra ID identities can be granted access or used to authenticate. The second action disables SQL authentication entirely, ensuring that only Microsoft Entra ID identities can connect—a critical step for enabling Microsoft Entra ID authentication. On the DP-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of the authentication hierarchy and the shift toward passwordless, identity-based access. A common trap is thinking that simply creating a contained user is enough, but the admin assignment and the mode switch are prerequisites. Remember the mnemonic “Admin first, then lock the door”—assign the admin, then set Azure AD Only Authentication to seal off SQL logins.
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. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO actions are required to enable Microsoft Entra ID authentication for an Azure SQL Database?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Assign a Microsoft Entra ID user or group as the Azure SQL Database admin
Assigning a Microsoft Entra ID user or group as the Azure SQL Database admin (Option B) is required because this establishes the administrative identity that can manage authentication for the database. Without this step, Microsoft Entra ID identities cannot be granted access or used to authenticate. Setting the database's authentication mode to 'Azure AD Only Authentication' (Option C) is also required because it disables SQL authentication, ensuring that only Microsoft Entra ID identities can connect, which is a key requirement for enabling Microsoft Entra ID authentication.
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.
✗
Create contained database users mapped to Microsoft Entra ID identities
Why it's wrong here
This is for granting access, not enabling authentication.
✓
Assign a Microsoft Entra ID user or group as the Azure SQL Database admin
Why this is correct
Required to enable Entra ID authentication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Set the database's authentication mode to 'Azure AD Only Authentication'
Why this is correct
This enforces Entra ID authentication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy the database in Azure SQL Managed Instance
Why it's wrong here
Not required; any Azure SQL deployment supports Entra ID.
✗
Register the application in Microsoft Entra ID
Why it's wrong here
Not required for basic authentication.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think creating contained database users (Option A) is the first step, but the correct order is to first assign an Entra ID admin and set the authentication mode, then create users mapped to Entra ID identities.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Microsoft Entra ID authentication for Azure SQL Database relies on OAuth 2.0 tokens issued by Microsoft Entra ID. When 'Azure AD Only Authentication' is enabled, the server rejects all non-Entra ID login attempts, including the SQL Server admin, unless they are part of an Entra ID group. In a real-world scenario, a common mistake is to create contained users first, but without an admin and the authentication mode set, those users cannot authenticate, leading to login failures.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
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: Assign a Microsoft Entra ID user or group as the Azure SQL Database admin — Assigning a Microsoft Entra ID user or group as the Azure SQL Database admin (Option B) is required because this establishes the administrative identity that can manage authentication for the database. Without this step, Microsoft Entra ID identities cannot be granted access or used to authenticate. Setting the database's authentication mode to 'Azure AD Only Authentication' (Option C) is also required because it disables SQL authentication, ensuring that only Microsoft Entra ID identities can connect, which is a key requirement for enabling Microsoft Entra ID authentication.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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