DP-300 Configure and manage automation of tasks Practice Question
You are a database administrator for a logistics company that uses Azure SQL Database. The company requires that a stored procedure, which archives old shipment records, runs every night at 2:00 AM UTC. You need to configure a solution that minimizes administrative overhead and uses built-in Azure SQL Database capabilities. What should you do?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that SQL Server Agent is available in Azure SQL Database because it is a familiar scheduling tool in SQL Server.
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
✓
Create an elastic job agent and define a recurring job with a T-SQL step that executes the stored procedure.
Elastic jobs are the native scheduling mechanism in Azure SQL Database for running T-SQL on a recurring basis. They eliminate the need for external services or additional infrastructure, directly satisfying the requirement to minimize administrative overhead. The other options either rely on features not available in Azure SQL Database or introduce unnecessary complexity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use Azure Automation with a runbook that connects to the database and executes the stored procedure.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Automation runbooks can execute T-SQL, but they require you to create and manage an Automation account, credentials, and a runbook. This introduces additional administrative overhead compared to elastic jobs, which are purpose-built for scheduling T-SQL within Azure SQL Database. The requirement to minimize administrative overhead and use built-in capabilities makes elastic jobs the better fit.
- ✗
Configure a SQL Server Agent job on the logical server that hosts the database.
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database does not include SQL Server Agent. SQL Server Agent is available only in Azure SQL Managed Instance and on-premises SQL Server. Because the scenario specifies Azure SQL Database, this option is not feasible. Attempting to use SQL Server Agent would require a different platform or additional infrastructure, which contradicts the need to use built-in Azure SQL Database capabilities and minimize overhead.
- ✗
Create a SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package and schedule it with Azure Data Factory.
Why it's wrong here
SSIS packages executed via Azure Data Factory can run stored procedures, but they involve significant setup: an Azure-SSIS Integration Runtime, a data factory, and pipeline scheduling. This is far more complex than necessary for simply executing a stored procedure on a schedule. The scenario asks for minimal administrative overhead and built-in Azure SQL Database features, which SSIS does not provide natively.
- ✓
Create an elastic job agent and define a recurring job with a T-SQL step that executes the stored procedure.
Why this is correct
Elastic jobs are a native Azure SQL Database feature designed to automate T-SQL execution across one or many databases on a schedule. By creating an elastic job agent and a job with a T-SQL step, you can run the stored procedure nightly without external orchestration. This minimizes administrative overhead because the scheduling and execution are fully managed by the service, and it directly meets the requirement.
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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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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