- A
Increase the maximum number of concurrent workers.
Why wrong: Worker count does not directly reduce CPU usage.
- B
Identify and create missing indexes.
Missing indexes cause table scans, increasing CPU usage; adding indexes reduces CPU.
- C
Reduce MAXDOP to 1.
Why wrong: Reducing MAXDOP may increase serialization and CPU usage.
- D
Increase MAXDOP to 8.
Why wrong: Increasing MAXDOP can increase parallelism and CPU usage.
Question 292 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. 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.
A production Azure SQL Database is experiencing high CPU usage during peak hours. The database uses the S3 service tier. You need to reduce CPU usage without changing the service tier. 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
✓
Identify and create missing indexes.
High CPU usage in an S3 Azure SQL Database often stems from inefficient query plans caused by missing indexes. Creating appropriate indexes reduces the number of rows scanned and the CPU cycles needed for operations like key lookups and sorting, directly lowering CPU consumption without changing the service tier.
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.
- ✗
Increase the maximum number of concurrent workers.
Why it's wrong here
Worker count does not directly reduce CPU usage.
- ✓
Identify and create missing indexes.
Why this is correct
Missing indexes cause table scans, increasing CPU usage; adding indexes reduces CPU.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reduce MAXDOP to 1.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing MAXDOP may increase serialization and CPU usage.
- ✗
Increase MAXDOP to 8.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing MAXDOP can increase parallelism and CPU usage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume reducing MAXDOP or increasing workers will fix CPU issues, but without addressing the root cause (poor query plans from missing indexes), these changes either exacerbate resource contention or fail to reduce CPU usage.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Missing indexes force the query optimizer to use table scans or key lookups, which are CPU-intensive. The Database Engine Tuning Advisor or missing index DMVs (sys.dm_db_missing_index_details) can identify candidates. However, over-indexing can increase write overhead, so index creation must balance read and write patterns—a common pitfall in production tuning.
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 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.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Identify and create missing indexes. — High CPU usage in an S3 Azure SQL Database often stems from inefficient query plans caused by missing indexes. Creating appropriate indexes reduces the number of rows scanned and the CPU cycles needed for operations like key lookups and sorting, directly lowering CPU consumption without changing the service tier.
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.
About these practice questions
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 11, 2026
This DP-300 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DP-300 exam.
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