DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are the database administrator for an Azure SQL Database used by a financial trading application. The database is in the Business Critical service tier with 16 vCores. The application executes thousands of small, high-frequency transactions per second. Recently, the application's response time has increased, and you observe high PAGELATCH_EX waits in sys.dm_os_waiting_tasks. The database is 500 GB with a single data file (tempdb.mdf) and a single log file (tempdb_log.ldf). TempDB is configured with the default settings. You need to reduce PAGELATCH_EX contention in TempDB. What should you do?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse PAGELATCH_EX (allocation page contention) with PAGEIOLATCH_EX (IO-related waits) and incorrectly choose storage or tier upgrades instead of the file-count solution.
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 additional TempDB data files equal to the number of vCores (16).
PAGELATCH_EX contention in TempDB is typically caused by allocation page contention when many concurrent transactions compete for the same system page (e.g., PFS, GAM, SGAM). In Azure SQL Database Business Critical tier, adding multiple TempDB data files equal to the number of vCores (16) reduces contention by distributing allocations across files, each with its own allocation structures. This is a proven best practice for high-concurrency workloads like financial trading applications.
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 additional TempDB data files equal to the number of vCores (16).
Why this is correct
Multiple data files reduce allocation contention on SGAM and PFS pages, which cause PAGELATCH_EX waits.
- ✗
Move TempDB to Azure Premium Storage for better IO latency.
Why it's wrong here
Premium Storage improves IO but does not address page latch contention caused by concurrent allocations.
- ✗
Increase the database service tier to 24 vCores.
Why it's wrong here
More vCores may increase concurrency and worsen contention without addressing the root cause.
- ✗
Increase the initial size of the TempDB data file to 100 GB.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing file size does not reduce contention; it only reduces file growth events.
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 by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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