Quick Answer
The answer is to include the FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP audit action group, but you must also add the SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP to fully meet the requirement of logging all database-level authentication failures. This is because the FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP captures only unsuccessful login attempts, while the SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP captures every successful authentication event; together, they ensure that every database-level authentication attempt—both successes and failures—is recorded, which is necessary when the requirement specifies logging "all" authentication failures, as a failure cannot be fully contextualized without knowing which attempts succeeded. On the DP-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of Azure SQL Database auditing granularity, and a common trap is selecting only the FAILED group, forgetting that the requirement often implies a complete audit trail. A useful memory tip is "Failures need successes for context"—always pair FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP with its successful counterpart to avoid missing events.
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of implement a secure environment. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 configuring Azure SQL Database auditing. You need to ensure that all database-level authentication failures are logged. Which TWO audit action groups should you include?
SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
Logs successful logins.
FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
Logs failed login attempts.
DATABASE_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
Why wrong: Logs permission changes, not authentication.
DATABASE_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
Why wrong: Logs DML changes.
SCHEMA_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
Why wrong: Logs DDL changes.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
Option A is correct because the SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP audit action group captures all successful authentication attempts at the database level. Option B is correct because the FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP audit action group captures all failed authentication attempts at the database level. Together, these two groups ensure that every database-level authentication event—both successes and failures—is logged, which is required to meet the requirement of logging all database-level authentication failures.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
Why this is correct
Logs successful logins.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
Why this is correct
Logs failed login attempts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
DATABASE_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
Why it's wrong here
Logs permission changes, not authentication.
DATABASE_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
Why it's wrong here
Logs DML changes.
SCHEMA_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
Why it's wrong here
Logs DDL changes.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may assume only the FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP is needed to log failures, but the question requires logging 'all database-level authentication failures'—which implicitly includes both successes and failures to provide complete visibility, or they may confuse authentication groups with object-level change groups that audit DDL or permission changes.
Detailed technical explanation
Azure SQL Database auditing uses action groups to define the categories of events that are written to the audit log. The FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP specifically captures events where the login attempt fails due to invalid credentials, disabled accounts, or other authentication errors. In a real-world scenario, monitoring these failures is critical for detecting brute-force attacks or compromised credentials, while SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP helps track legitimate access patterns. Both groups must be explicitly included because they are not enabled by default in the database-level audit specification.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
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FAQ
Implement a secure environment — This question tests Implement a secure environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP — Option A is correct because the SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP audit action group captures all successful authentication attempts at the database level. Option B is correct because the FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP audit action group captures all failed authentication attempts at the database level. Together, these two groups ensure that every database-level authentication event—both successes and failures—is logged, which is required to meet the requirement of logging all database-level authentication failures.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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