DP-300 Implement a secure environment Practice Question
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of implement a secure 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 deploying an Azure SQL Database that will store sensitive customer data. Compliance requirements dictate that the data must be encrypted at rest using a customer-managed key that is rotated every 90 days. You configure TDE with Azure Key Vault. What additional step is critical to ensure data remains accessible after key rotation?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure the previous key version remains enabled in Azure Key Vault.
When using TDE with Azure Key Vault and customer-managed keys, the database is encrypted using a Data Encryption Key (DEK) that is protected by the key in Key Vault. Key rotation creates a new key version, but the DEK remains encrypted with the previous key version. To decrypt the DEK and access the data after rotation, the previous key version must remain enabled in Key Vault. If it is disabled or deleted, the database becomes inaccessible.
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.
✗
Store the key in a different region for disaster recovery.
Why it's wrong here
Key location does not affect rotation.
✓
Ensure the previous key version remains enabled in Azure Key Vault.
Why this is correct
TDE uses the key version that was active when the data was written; disabling it causes decryption failures.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a premium tier of Azure Key Vault.
Why it's wrong here
Standard tier supports TDE with AKV.
✗
Re-encrypt the database with the new key immediately after rotation.
Why it's wrong here
TDE automatically handles key rotation; manual re-encryption is not required.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume key rotation automatically re-encrypts the database or that disabling the old key is safe, but Azure SQL Database requires the previous key version to remain enabled until the DEK is explicitly re-encrypted with the new key.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, TDE uses a two-tier key hierarchy: a Data Encryption Key (DEK) is encrypted by a key protector stored in Azure Key Vault. When the key protector is rotated, a new version is created, but the DEK is not automatically re-encrypted. The database remains accessible only if the previous key version is available to decrypt the DEK. In a real-world scenario, if the old key version is disabled or deleted during rotation, the database will enter an inaccessible state, requiring a restore from backup or manual intervention to recover.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
Implement a secure environment — This question tests Implement a secure environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Ensure the previous key version remains enabled in Azure Key Vault. — When using TDE with Azure Key Vault and customer-managed keys, the database is encrypted using a Data Encryption Key (DEK) that is protected by the key in Key Vault. Key rotation creates a new key version, but the DEK remains encrypted with the previous key version. To decrypt the DEK and access the data after rotation, the previous key version must remain enabled in Key Vault. If it is disabled or deleted, the database becomes inaccessible.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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