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.
Exhibit
Azure Monitor metric for Azure SQL Database:
Metric: dtu_consumption_percent
Time range: Past hour
Average: 95%
Max: 100%
Min: 30%
Metric: cpu_percent
Average: 80%
Max: 95%
Metric: physical_data_read_percent
Average: 90%
Max: 100%
Metric: log_write_percent
Average: 20%
Query Store top resource consumers:
Query ID: 1234
Execution count: 5000
Total logical reads: 2.5 million
Total duration: 10,000 ms
Query ID: 5678
Execution count: 100
Total logical reads: 50,000
Total duration: 500 ms
Refer to the exhibit. An Azure SQL Database in the Standard tier (S2: 50 DTU) is consistently showing high DTU consumption. Which action would most effectively reduce DTU usage?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an index on the tables accessed by Query 1234
Query 1234 has high logical reads, indicating inefficient queries causing high DTU. Optimizing it would reduce resource consumption.
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 an index on the tables accessed by Query 1234
Why this is correct
Reducing logical reads via indexing directly lowers DTU usage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the log_write_percent by adjusting transaction log settings
Why it's wrong here
Log writes are low; not a bottleneck.
✗
Scale up to a higher service tier (e.g., S3)
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up increases DTU, but does not fix inefficient queries.
✗
Rebuild all indexes in the database
Why it's wrong here
May help but less targeted than optimizing the specific high-impact query.
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.
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: Create an index on the tables accessed by Query 1234 — Query 1234 has high logical reads, indicating inefficient queries causing high DTU. Optimizing it would reduce resource consumption.
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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