Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment
You are a database architect for a multinational corporation that uses Azure SQL Database for a customer relationship management (CRM) system. The primary database is in the East US region using the Business Critical service tier. The compliance team requires that in the event of a regional disaster, the database can be failed over to a secondary region with zero data loss and an RTO of 30 seconds. Additionally, the secondary region must be able to handle read-only queries during normal operations to reduce load on the primary. You need to design a solution that meets these requirements with the lowest possible latency for write operations. What should you do?
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
✓
Deploy a failover group with a readable secondary in a paired region using Business Critical, and ensure the failover is planned to achieve zero data loss.
To meet the requirements of zero data loss (RPO=0) and RTO of 30 seconds across regions, a failover group with a readable secondary in a paired region using Business Critical service tier is the best option. Business Critical provides synchronous replication within a region but asynchronous geo-replication across regions; however, a planned failover ensures zero data loss by synchronizing all changes before failover. The readable secondary reduces read load on the primary. Option A is incorrect because active geo-replication is asynchronous and cannot guarantee zero data loss. Option B is incorrect because it does not make the secondary readable, missing the read workload requirement. Option D is incorrect because zone redundancy protects within a region but not against regional disasters.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a secondary database in a paired region using active geo-replication and configure it as readable.
Why it's wrong here
Active geo-replication is asynchronous, so it cannot guarantee zero data loss during an unplanned failover.
- ✗
Deploy a failover group with a secondary database in a paired region using Business Critical, but do not make the secondary readable.
Why it's wrong here
This meets the DR requirement but does not allow read traffic offloading.
- ✓
Deploy a failover group with a readable secondary in a paired region using Business Critical, and ensure the failover is planned to achieve zero data loss.
Why this is correct
Failover group with planned failover can achieve zero data loss, and a readable secondary allows read traffic.
- ✗
Configure zone redundancy on the existing Business Critical database in East US.
Why it's wrong here
Zone redundancy protects only within a region, not against regional disaster.
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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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.