- A
Increase the service tier to S3 during the end-of-month period
Increasing to S3 during reporting period provides more resources, improving performance without a permanent cost increase. This is the most feasible option given the tier limitation.
- B
Add nonclustered indexes to the tables used in reports
Why wrong: Adding nonclustered indexes can improve query performance but may not be sufficient for large aggregation reports that require significant IO. It does not address the resource bottleneck directly.
- C
Convert the tables to clustered columnstore indexes
Why wrong: Clustered columnstore indexes are optimized for large aggregations but can degrade OLTP write performance. Converting all tables is a major change and not recommended for a CRM system.
- D
Create a read-only replica and direct reports to it
Why wrong: Read-only replicas are not available in the Standard S2 tier. They require Premium or higher, so this option is not feasible in the current environment.
DP-300 Azure SQL Database service tiers Practice Question
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of monitor, configure, and optimize database resources. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. A key principle to apply: azure SQL Database service tiers. 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 a DBA for a company that uses Azure SQL Database for its customer relationship management (CRM) system. The database is currently in the General Purpose tier (DTU S2) and is experiencing performance degradation during end-of-month reporting. Reports that aggregate large amounts of data take over 30 minutes to run. You notice that the database's DTU usage averages 80% during these reports, with high IO. You need to improve report performance without significantly increasing cost. The reports are read-only and can tolerate some staleness. What should you do?
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
Increase the service tier to S3 during the end-of-month period
Option A is correct because increasing the service tier to S3 during the end-of-month period provides more DTUs and IO resources, which directly addresses the performance degradation without a permanent cost increase. The cost is only incurred during the reporting period, making it a cost-effective short-term solution. Option D is incorrect because read-only replicas are not supported in the Standard (DTU) S2 tier; they are only available in Premium, Business Critical, and Hyperscale tiers. Therefore, this option is not feasible. Options B and C may help but are not as effective or risk affecting write performance.
Key principle: Azure SQL Database service tiers
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Increase the service tier to S3 during the end-of-month period
Why this is correct
Increasing to S3 during reporting period provides more resources, improving performance without a permanent cost increase. This is the most feasible option given the tier limitation.
Related concept
Azure SQL Database service tiers
- ✗
Add nonclustered indexes to the tables used in reports
Why it's wrong here
Adding nonclustered indexes can improve query performance but may not be sufficient for large aggregation reports that require significant IO. It does not address the resource bottleneck directly.
- ✗
Convert the tables to clustered columnstore indexes
Why it's wrong here
Clustered columnstore indexes are optimized for large aggregations but can degrade OLTP write performance. Converting all tables is a major change and not recommended for a CRM system.
- ✗
Create a read-only replica and direct reports to it
Why it's wrong here
Read-only replicas are not available in the Standard S2 tier. They require Premium or higher, so this option is not feasible in the current environment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is assuming read-only replicas are available in all Azure SQL Database tiers. They are only supported in Premium, Business Critical, and Hyperscale tiers, not in Standard (DTU) tiers.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Azure SQL Database service tiers
- Read-only replica
- Temporary scaling
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
Azure SQL Database service tiers
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
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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 — Azure SQL Database service tiers.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the service tier to S3 during the end-of-month period — Option A is correct because increasing the service tier to S3 during the end-of-month period provides more DTUs and IO resources, which directly addresses the performance degradation without a permanent cost increase. The cost is only incurred during the reporting period, making it a cost-effective short-term solution. Option D is incorrect because read-only replicas are not supported in the Standard (DTU) S2 tier; they are only available in Premium, Business Critical, and Hyperscale tiers. Therefore, this option is not feasible. Options B and C may help but are not as effective or risk affecting write performance.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Review azure SQL Database service tiers, then practise related DP-300 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Azure SQL Database service tiers
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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