DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are monitoring an Azure SQL Database and notice that the 'tempdb' database is experiencing contention. Which THREE actions can reduce tempdb contention? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse 'increasing size' (Option C) with 'adding files' (Option A), mistakenly thinking that more space alone resolves contention, when in fact only multiple files reduce allocation page contention.
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
✓
Add multiple tempdb data files
Adding multiple tempdb data files reduces allocation contention on system pages like PFS (Page Free Space), GAM (Global Allocation Map), and SGAM (Shared Global Allocation Map). When multiple sessions concurrently allocate pages in tempdb, a single data file becomes a bottleneck; additional files spread the allocation load across separate file system objects, reducing latch contention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Add multiple tempdb data files
Why this is correct
Multiple files reduce allocation contention.
- ✓
Optimize queries that use temporary tables and table variables
Why this is correct
Reduces the load on tempdb.
- ✗
Increase the size of tempdb
Why it's wrong here
Increasing size does not reduce contention.
- ✗
Change the collation of tempdb
Why it's wrong here
Collation does not affect contention.
- ✓
Use multiple tempdb files equal to the number of CPU cores
Why this is correct
This is a best practice to reduce contention.
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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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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