The answer is to use point-in-time restore (PITR) with geo-redundant backup storage, as this meets your cost-effective DR for Azure SQL Database with RPO 1 hour and RTO 2 hours without incurring additional compute costs for a secondary database. Geo-redundant backups are automatically stored in a paired region, and because PITR restores from these backups, you only pay for storage, not for a continuously running secondary instance. For a 50 GB General Purpose database, restoring a full backup plus transaction logs typically completes well within the 2-hour RTO, and the RPO of 1 hour is easily satisfied since transaction log backups occur every 5–10 minutes. On the DP-300 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between DR options that require compute (active geo-replication and failover groups) versus those that do not (backup-based restore). A common trap is assuming failover groups are always cheapest, but they still charge for the secondary database’s compute. Memory tip: “Backups are cheap; secondaries sleep deep” — geo-redundant backups sleep in storage, not in compute.
DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 responsible for the disaster recovery of an Azure SQL Database that supports a customer-facing application. The database is 50 GB and uses the General Purpose service tier. The application requires an RPO of 1 hour and an RTO of 2 hours. The company has a limited budget and wants to minimize costs. You need to recommend a DR solution that meets the requirements without incurring additional compute costs for a secondary database. Which option should you choose?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use point-in-time restore (PITR) with geo-redundant backup storage.
Option C is correct. Point-in-time restore using geo-redundant backup storage does not require a secondary database; you restore from backups in case of a regional outage. The RTO of 2 hours is achievable for a 50 GB database, and the RPO of 1 hour is within the backup retention (every 5-10 minutes). Option A is wrong because active geo-replication incurs compute costs for the secondary. Option B is wrong because failover groups also incur compute costs. Option D is wrong because zone redundancy does not provide cross-region DR.
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.
✗
Enable active geo-replication to a secondary database in a different region.
Why it's wrong here
This requires compute costs for the secondary, which the company wants to avoid.
✓
Use point-in-time restore (PITR) with geo-redundant backup storage.
Why this is correct
PITR does not require a secondary database; it restores from backups, minimizing costs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable zone redundancy on the primary database.
Why it's wrong here
Zone redundancy protects against zonal failures, not regional.
✗
Configure a failover group with a secondary in a different region.
Why it's wrong here
Failover groups also incur compute costs for the secondary.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — This question tests Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use point-in-time restore (PITR) with geo-redundant backup storage. — Option C is correct. Point-in-time restore using geo-redundant backup storage does not require a secondary database; you restore from backups in case of a regional outage. The RTO of 2 hours is achievable for a 50 GB database, and the RPO of 1 hour is within the backup retention (every 5-10 minutes). Option A is wrong because active geo-replication incurs compute costs for the secondary. Option B is wrong because failover groups also incur compute costs. Option D is wrong because zone redundancy does not provide cross-region DR.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You manage an Azure SQL Database in the East US region. The database uses the General Purpose service tier with geo-redundant backup storage. You need to ensure that in the event of a regional outage, you can restore the database to the West US region with the least possible downtime. What should you use?
easy
A.Configure active geo-replication to a secondary server in West US.
✓ B.Use the geo-restore feature to restore from the geo-redundant backups to a new database in West US.
C.Create a copy-only backup and manually transfer it to West US.
D.Perform a point-in-time restore to a new database in West US.
Why B: Option B is correct because geo-restore from geo-redundant backups allows restoring to a different region. Option A is wrong because active geo-replication is not configured by default. Option C is wrong because point-in-time restore is for within the same region. Option D is wrong because copy-only backup is not relevant.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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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.
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