DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are monitoring an Azure SQL Database using the sys.dm_db_resource_stats DMV. The avg_log_write_percent column shows 95% for the last hour. What does this indicate, and what should you do?
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
✓
The database is nearing its log write IOPS limit; consider scaling up or optimizing log writes.
The avg_log_write_percent metric in sys.dm_db_resource_stats measures the percentage of the log write IOPS limit used. At 95%, the database is nearing its log write IOPS limit, which can cause transaction delays and throttling. The appropriate response is to scale up the service tier (e.g., to a higher DTU or vCore level) or optimize log writes to reduce IOPS consumption. Option A is incorrect because the metric does not indicate running out of log space; log space is separate. Option B is incorrect because storage scale (size) does not directly affect log write IOPS. Option D is incorrect because this metric is specifically about log I/O, not CPU.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The database is out of transaction log space; increase the max log size.
Why it's wrong here
The percentage reflects log-write throughput consumed against the tier limit, not remaining log space, so raising max log size changes nothing. Max log size matters when the transaction log physically fills and write transactions begin failing.
- ✗
The database storage is running out; scale up storage.
Why it's wrong here
avg_log_write_percent measures transaction log write throughput against the service-tier limit, not data file storage consumption. Storage exhaustion appears via storage-space metrics, not this column. The correct response targets log write throughput, such as scaling the service tier or reducing write volume.
- ✓
The database is nearing its log write IOPS limit; consider scaling up or optimizing log writes.
Why this is correct
The avg_log_write_percent column measures log write throughput as a percentage of the database's provisioned limit. At 95%, the database is approaching its log write IOPS ceiling, risking throttling. Scaling up the service tier or SKU raises that limit, while optimising log-heavy operations reduces demand, directly addressing the sustained near-saturation constraint.
- ✗
The CPU is overloaded; scale up CPU.
Why it's wrong here
Metric is about log IO, not CPU.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Monitoring Database Performance with Azure Tools
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 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.