Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment →hardMultiple Choice

DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

```json
{
  "properties": {
    "databases": ["/subscriptions/.../databases/db1"],
    "partnerServers": [
      {
        "id": "/subscriptions/.../servers/secondary",
        "location": "westeurope"
      }
    ],
    "readWriteEndpoint": {
      "failoverPolicy": "Automatic",
      "failoverGracePeriodMinutes": 60
    },
    "readOnlyEndpoint": {
      "failoverPolicy": "Disabled"
    }
  }
}
```

You are reviewing the ARM template snippet for an Azure SQL Database failover group. The primary server is in East US. The secondary is in West Europe. The readWriteEndpoint has automatic failover with a grace period of 60 minutes. The readOnlyEndpoint is disabled. After a complete outage in East US, what will happen?

⚠ Common exam trap

DP-300 often tests the misconception that a long grace period blocks automatic failover entirely, or that readOnlyEndpoint settings affect read/write failover — candidates must separate the two endpoints and understand grace period as a delay, not a disable.

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 failover group will wait 60 minutes, then automatically fail over to West Europe.

With automatic failover enabled on the read/write endpoint and a 60-minute grace period, Azure SQL failover groups wait the full grace period after detecting the primary outage before promoting the secondary. Only after that window elapses does the geo-secondary in West Europe become the new primary. The readOnlyEndpoint setting is irrelevant to read/write failover behavior.

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 failover group will not fail over automatically because the grace period is too long.
Why it's wrong here
Automatic failover triggers once the outage exceeds the grace period; 60 minutes is a valid configured value, not a blocker. It is tempting because a long grace period delays failover, and a shorter interval would be chosen when faster recovery is required.
✓
The failover group will wait 60 minutes, then automatically fail over to West Europe.
Why this is correct
Automatic failover on the readWriteEndpoint triggers only after the configured grace period elapses without primary availability. With 60 minutes set, the group waits that duration before promoting West Europe, so the outage must persist the full hour.
✗
The failover group will immediately fail over to West Europe.
Why it's wrong here
Automatic failover waits out the 60-minute grace period before switching to West Europe, so it is not immediate. It is tempting because automatic failover is enabled, and immediate failover would occur if the grace period were set to zero.
✗
The failover group requires manual failover because readOnlyEndpoint is disabled.
Why it's wrong here
The readOnlyEndpoint setting governs read-only listener routing, not failover initiation; automatic failover on readWriteEndpoint still applies. It is tempting because a disabled endpoint appears to limit functionality, and manual failover would be correct if automatic failover were not configured.

Go deeper

DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question