The answer is 2. In the Business Critical tier of Azure SQL Database, the highAvailabilityReplicaCount parameter specifies the number of additional readable replicas beyond the primary, and when set to 2, exactly two replicas are available for read-only queries. This is because the Business Critical tier uses a primary and multiple replicas for high availability, and with readScale enabled, all replicas become readable, while the primary itself is reserved for write operations. On the Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Associate DP-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of the Business Critical tier’s architecture and the distinction between the primary and replicas—a common trap is counting the primary as a readable replica or assuming the default HA replica is not readable. Remember the memory tip: “Replica count equals readable count; the primary is not a replica.”
DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
2
Option D is correct. Business Critical tier has one primary and multiple replicas. With highAvailabilityReplicaCount set to 2, there are 2 replicas in addition to the primary. By default, one replica is used for HA and the others are readable. With readScale enabled, all replicas can be used for read-only queries. So total readable replicas = highAvailabilityReplicaCount = 2. Option A is wrong because it counts the primary. Option B is wrong because only replicas are readable. Option C is wrong because 3 would include the primary.
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.
✗
3
Why it's wrong here
The primary is not used for read-only queries.
✓
2
Why this is correct
With highAvailabilityReplicaCount=2, there are 2 readable replicas.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
1
Why it's wrong here
There are 2 replicas.
✗
4
Why it's wrong here
Too many; only 2 replicas are provisioned.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
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.
Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — This question tests Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 2 — Option D is correct. Business Critical tier has one primary and multiple replicas. With highAvailabilityReplicaCount set to 2, there are 2 replicas in addition to the primary. By default, one replica is used for HA and the others are readable. With readScale enabled, all replicas can be used for read-only queries. So total readable replicas = highAvailabilityReplicaCount = 2. Option A is wrong because it counts the primary. Option B is wrong because only replicas are readable. Option C is wrong because 3 would include the primary.
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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Question Discussion
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