- A
Configure active geo-replication to a secondary database in a paired region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.
Active geo-replication provides low RPO and a readable secondary, meeting all requirements.
- B
Create a failover group within the same region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.
Why wrong: This does not protect against regional outages.
- C
Add a second zone-redundant replica in the same region and configure a failover group.
Why wrong: This does not provide cross-region DR.
- D
Upgrade to Hyperscale tier with zone redundancy and configure a named replica in a secondary region.
Why wrong: Hyperscale may be more expensive and complex; the existing Business Critical tier can meet requirements with geo-replication.
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.
You are a database administrator for a global e-commerce company. The company uses Azure SQL Database for its product catalog, which is a mission-critical OLTP workload. The database is currently deployed in the West US region using the Business Critical service tier with zone redundancy enabled. The database size is 200 GB and grows at 10 GB per month. The company has a disaster recovery requirement: in the event of a regional outage, the database must be failed over to a secondary region with an RPO of less than 5 seconds and an RTO of less than 1 minute. Additionally, the secondary database must be readable to support read-heavy reporting workloads. The solution must minimize additional compute costs. You need to recommend a configuration. Which option should you choose?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
Configure active geo-replication to a secondary database in a paired region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.
Option B is correct. Business Critical with zone redundancy already provides high availability within the region. To achieve an RPO of less than 5 seconds and a readable secondary in another region, you need active geo-replication with a readable secondary. Option A is wrong because adding another zone-redundant replica does not provide cross-region DR. Option C is wrong because a failover group in the same region does not help with regional outage. Option D is wrong because Hyperscale may be overkill and more expensive, and zone redundancy in Hyperscale does not provide cross-region DR.
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.
- ✓
Configure active geo-replication to a secondary database in a paired region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.
Why this is correct
Active geo-replication provides low RPO and a readable secondary, meeting all requirements.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a failover group within the same region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary.
Why it's wrong here
This does not protect against regional outages.
- ✗
Add a second zone-redundant replica in the same region and configure a failover group.
Why it's wrong here
This does not provide cross-region DR.
- ✗
Upgrade to Hyperscale tier with zone redundancy and configure a named replica in a secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
Hyperscale may be more expensive and complex; the existing Business Critical tier can meet requirements with geo-replication.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-300 question test?
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: Configure active geo-replication to a secondary database in a paired region using Business Critical tier with a readable secondary. — Option B is correct. Business Critical with zone redundancy already provides high availability within the region. To achieve an RPO of less than 5 seconds and a readable secondary in another region, you need active geo-replication with a readable secondary. Option A is wrong because adding another zone-redundant replica does not provide cross-region DR. Option C is wrong because a failover group in the same region does not help with regional outage. Option D is wrong because Hyperscale may be overkill and more expensive, and zone redundancy in Hyperscale does not provide cross-region DR.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 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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