DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are monitoring an Azure SQL Database that uses the vCore purchasing model. You need to set up alerts to notify you when the database approaches its resource limits. Which two metrics should you alert on to detect CPU and I/O pressure? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse log_write_percent with overall I/O pressure, when it only measures log write throughput, not data reads.
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
✓
physical_data_read_percent
The correct metrics are cpu_percent and physical_data_read_percent. cpu_percent directly measures CPU utilization, and physical_data_read_percent measures the percentage of physical data reads, indicating I/O pressure. These are core metrics in the vCore model for monitoring resource consumption. Other metrics like log_write_percent, sessions_percent, and workers_percent are less directly related to the overall CPU and I/O pressure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
log_write_percent
Why it's wrong here
log_write_percent measures the percentage of log write throughput used. While it can indicate log I/O pressure, the question asks for CPU and I/O pressure. Log write is a specific type of I/O, but physical_data_read_percent is more representative of general I/O pressure for data reads. Alerting on log_write_percent alone would not cover CPU or general I/O, so it is not one of the two best metrics for the stated goal.
- ✓
physical_data_read_percent
Why this is correct
physical_data_read_percent measures the percentage of physical data reads relative to the limit. High values indicate I/O pressure, which can slow query performance. Alerting on this metric helps identify when the database is I/O bound. In the vCore model, this metric is relevant for detecting storage throughput issues. Setting an alert allows you to investigate and potentially optimize queries or scale up.
- ✓
cpu_percent
Why this is correct
cpu_percent measures the percentage of CPU used by the database. Alerting on this metric helps detect when the database is approaching its CPU limit, which can cause performance degradation. In the vCore model, CPU is a key resource. Setting an alert at a threshold like 80% allows proactive action, such as scaling up or optimizing queries, before users are affected.
- ✗
sessions_percent
Why it's wrong here
sessions_percent measures the percentage of allowed concurrent sessions used. This is a connection-related metric, not directly indicative of CPU or I/O pressure. While high session counts can lead to resource contention, the metric itself does not measure CPU or I/O. The question specifically asks for metrics to detect CPU and I/O pressure, so this is not appropriate.
- ✗
workers_percent
Why it's wrong here
workers_percent measures the percentage of worker threads used. This can indicate thread pool pressure, which may be related to CPU contention, but it is not a direct measure of CPU usage or I/O. The question asks for metrics to detect CPU and I/O pressure, and cpu_percent and physical_data_read_percent are more direct. workers_percent is a secondary indicator and not one of the two best choices.
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 and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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.