DP-300 Plan and implement data platform resources Practice Question
You are configuring Azure SQL Database for a new application. The security policy requires that all connections use Microsoft Entra authentication and that the database blocks IP addresses from outside your corporate network. You also need to ensure that the application can connect without storing credentials in code. Which combination of features should you implement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse managed identity with a service principal, not realizing that a service principal still requires a secret or certificate to be stored, whereas a managed identity eliminates credential storage entirely.
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
✓
Microsoft Entra authentication, firewall rules, and managed identity
It satisfies all three requirements: Microsoft Entra authentication enforces identity-based access, firewall rules block IP addresses outside the corporate network, and a managed identity allows the application to connect without storing credentials in code by using a system-assigned or user-assigned identity to obtain an access token from Microsoft Entra ID.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Always Encrypted, VNet service endpoints, and SQL authentication
Why it's wrong here
Always Encrypted protects column data at rest and in transit, and SQL authentication still requires a password in the connection string, so the Microsoft Entra authentication and credential-free requirements both fail. It would suit encrypting sensitive columns in a client-side key scenario.
- ✓
Microsoft Entra authentication, firewall rules, and managed identity
Why this is correct
Managed identity lets the application obtain Microsoft Entra tokens without embedded credentials, satisfying the no-stored-secrets constraint. Firewall rules restrict access to corporate IP ranges, blocking external addresses, while Microsoft Entra authentication replaces SQL logins entirely. Together these three features meet every stated requirement.
- ✗
Transparent Data Encryption, IP firewall rules, and connection strings
Why it's wrong here
Transparent Data Encryption encrypts data at rest, and connection strings embed credentials, so neither Microsoft Entra authentication nor credential-free access is achieved. It would be correct for meeting encryption-at-rest compliance without changing the authentication model.
- ✗
Azure Defender for SQL, firewall rules, and service principal
Why it's wrong here
Azure Defender for SQL provides threat detection and vulnerability assessment, not authentication, and a service principal still needs a secret or certificate in code. It would be correct for security monitoring and alerting on anomalous database activity.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Deploying and Configuring Azure SQL Managed Instance
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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JA
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.