The correct answer is that zone-redundant configuration provides resilience within a single Azure region across multiple Azure availability zones. This is true because the configuration automatically replicates your database across physically separate zones in the same region, ensuring that if one zone fails, the database remains available from another zone without manual intervention. On the DP-300 exam, this concept tests your understanding of high availability options within Azure SQL Database, and a common trap is assuming zone redundancy is only for Business Critical or that it requires a failover group—neither is correct. Remember that zone redundancy is available in both General Purpose and Business Critical tiers, though only Business Critical incurs additional cost. For the exam, a helpful memory tip is "zone redundancy = regional resilience, no extra cost for General Purpose," which directly counters the misconception that it is a premium-only feature.
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. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Which TWO statements about Azure SQL Database zone-redundant configuration are true? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It can be enabled during database creation or by updating an existing database.
Options B and D are correct. Zone-redundant configuration is available in both General Purpose and Business Critical tiers (though for Business Critical it is used differently). Option A is incorrect because it is supported in both tiers. Option C is incorrect because there is no additional charge for zone-redundant configuration in General Purpose tier; Business Critical has additional cost. Option E is incorrect because zone-redundant configuration does not require a failover group.
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.
✗
It requires a failover group to be configured.
Why it's wrong here
Zone-redundant does not require a failover group.
✓
It can be enabled during database creation or by updating an existing database.
Why this is correct
Zone-redundant can be configured at creation or via update.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It is only available in the Business Critical service tier.
Why it's wrong here
Also available in General Purpose tier.
✓
It provides resilience within a single Azure region across multiple zones.
Why this is correct
Zone-redundant configuration replicates across zones in the same region.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It incurs additional cost compared to non-zone-redundant configurations.
Why it's wrong here
General Purpose zone-redundant has no additional cost; Business Critical does.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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: It can be enabled during database creation or by updating an existing database. — Options B and D are correct. Zone-redundant configuration is available in both General Purpose and Business Critical tiers (though for Business Critical it is used differently). Option A is incorrect because it is supported in both tiers. Option C is incorrect because there is no additional charge for zone-redundant configuration in General Purpose tier; Business Critical has additional cost. Option E is incorrect because zone-redundant configuration does not require a failover group.
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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