- A
Update statistics for the Orders table.
Why wrong: Does not affect partition elimination.
- B
Create a columnstore index on the Orders table.
Why wrong: May improve scan performance but not partition elimination.
- C
Re-create the partition function with a different boundary type (e.g., RIGHT instead of LEFT) to align with query patterns.
Changing boundary type can improve partition elimination for date range queries.
- D
Create an indexed view that pre-aggregates sales by month.
Why wrong: Does not address partition elimination.
Question 260 of 963
DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of monitor, configure, and optimize database resources. 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.
You are the database administrator for a large e-commerce application hosted on Azure SQL Database in the Business Critical tier (8 vCores). The database has a table named Orders with 500 million rows. The table is partitioned by OrderDate using a monthly partition function. The application frequently runs queries that aggregate sales by month for the current year. Users report that these queries are slow. You examine the query execution plans and notice that the queries are scanning all partitions, not just the relevant ones. You need to improve query performance without changing the application code. Which action should you take?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Re-create the partition function with a different boundary type (e.g., RIGHT instead of LEFT) to align with query patterns.
The issue is that partition elimination is not occurring, meaning the query scans all partitions instead of only the relevant ones for the current year. Since the table is partitioned by OrderDate using a monthly partition function, the alignment of partition boundaries with the query predicate is critical. If the current partition function uses LEFT boundaries, the boundary values represent the start of each partition, but queries for the current year might include dates that cross boundaries in a way that prevents elimination. Re-creating the partition function with RIGHT boundaries ensures that each boundary value is the first day of the next partition, which often aligns better with range queries like 'WHERE OrderDate >= '2025-01-01' AND OrderDate < '2025-12-31''. This can enable partition elimination without changing application code. Option A (update statistics) does not affect partition elimination. Option B (columnstore index) improves compression and query speed but does not force partition elimination. Option D (indexed view) requires code changes and does not directly cause partition elimination. Therefore, option C is correct.
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.
- ✗
Update statistics for the Orders table.
Why it's wrong here
Does not affect partition elimination.
- ✗
Create a columnstore index on the Orders table.
Why it's wrong here
May improve scan performance but not partition elimination.
- ✓
Re-create the partition function with a different boundary type (e.g., RIGHT instead of LEFT) to align with query patterns.
Why this is correct
Changing boundary type can improve partition elimination for date range queries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create an indexed view that pre-aggregates sales by month.
Why it's wrong here
Does not address partition elimination.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-300 question test?
Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources — This question tests Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Re-create the partition function with a different boundary type (e.g., RIGHT instead of LEFT) to align with query patterns. — The issue is that partition elimination is not occurring, meaning the query scans all partitions instead of only the relevant ones for the current year. Since the table is partitioned by OrderDate using a monthly partition function, the alignment of partition boundaries with the query predicate is critical. If the current partition function uses LEFT boundaries, the boundary values represent the start of each partition, but queries for the current year might include dates that cross boundaries in a way that prevents elimination. Re-creating the partition function with RIGHT boundaries ensures that each boundary value is the first day of the next partition, which often aligns better with range queries like 'WHERE OrderDate >= '2025-01-01' AND OrderDate < '2025-12-31''. This can enable partition elimination without changing application code. Option A (update statistics) does not affect partition elimination. Option B (columnstore index) improves compression and query speed but does not force partition elimination. Option D (indexed view) requires code changes and does not directly cause partition elimination. Therefore, option C is correct.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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