DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
Which TWO database properties can be configured to optimize performance for a read-heavy workload in Azure SQL Database?
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
✓
Query Store
For a read-heavy workload in Azure SQL Database, enabling Query Store (option A) helps monitor query performance, identify regressions, and optimize query plans. Read scale-out (option E) offloads read-only queries to a readable secondary replica, reducing load on the primary and improving performance. Options B (Data masking) is a security feature, C (Long-term retention policy) is for backup retention, and D (Automatic tuning - CREATE INDEX) creates indexes but is not specifically for read-heavy workloads; it can help but is not a primary property for read offload.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Query Store
Why this is correct
Monitors query performance.
- ✗
Data masking
Why it's wrong here
Security feature.
- ✗
Long-term retention policy
Why it's wrong here
Backup retention.
- ✗
Automatic tuning (CREATE INDEX)
Why it's wrong here
Index management, not a database property.
- ✓
Read scale-out
Why this is correct
Offloads read workloads.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Overview of Azure Data Platform Options
Key term
Query Store
Query Store is a built-in SQL Server feature that captures and stores a history of query execution plans and performance data for easy monitoring and troubleshooting.
Key term
Azure SQL Performance Tuning
Azure SQL Performance Tuning is the process of optimizing the speed and efficiency of queries and database operations in Microsoft Azure SQL Database or SQL Managed Instance to reduce latency and improve throughput.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.