DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
Which TWO metrics in Azure SQL Database indicate that the database might need to be scaled up?
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
✓
Log write percent consistently above 90%
High DTU/CPU consumption (E) and high log write percent (C) both indicate that the database is approaching or hitting resource limits, suggesting a need to scale up. Options A, B, and D are incorrect because consistently low metrics (data IO, session percent, memory) indicate underutilization, not a need to scale up.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Data IO percentage consistently below 20%
Why it's wrong here
Data IO percentage below 20% shows the storage subsystem is underutilised, so no scale-up is warranted. It is tempting because IO is a legitimate scaling metric, yet the low value indicates headroom; scaling up is indicated when IO consistently approaches the tier's ceiling.
- ✗
Session percent consistently below 10%
Why it's wrong here
A low session percent means few concurrent sessions relative to the tier's limit, indicating spare capacity rather than a scaling need. It is tempting because session count is a genuine scaling metric, but only sustained high session percent approaching the cap justifies scaling up.
- ✓
Log write percent consistently above 90%
Why this is correct
Sustained log write percent above 90% signals the transaction log is saturating its provisioned throughput, a resource-bound bottleneck that scaling up the service tier or compute size directly relieves. This metric isolates log I/O pressure rather than general CPU load.
- ✗
Memory consumption consistently below 30%
Why it's wrong here
Low memory consumption indicates spare capacity, not a need to scale up; scaling up is signalled by sustained high resource utilisation approaching limits. It is tempting because memory is a scaling metric, but the direction is inverted — low usage suggests the current tier is adequate.
- ✓
DTU/CPU consumption consistently above 90%
Why this is correct
DTU or CPU consumption consistently above 90% shows the database is exhausting its allocated compute and I/O capacity, the classic saturation signal that scaling up the tier resolves. It aggregates CPU, reads and writes into one measure of provisioned resource pressure.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Overview of Azure Data Platform Options
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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