DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are troubleshooting a performance issue in an Azure SQL Database. The database is in the Hyperscale service tier. You observe that read queries are slow, and you suspect that a specific query plan is causing excessive physical reads. You want to identify the query and its plan, and then force a better plan if available. Which tool should you use to capture and analyze the plan, and then force a plan?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that Hyperscale does not support Query Store or plan forcing, when in fact Query Store is fully supported and is the recommended tool for plan analysis and forcing.
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
✓
Query Store, using the Top Resource Consuming Queries report and plan forcing.
Query Store is the appropriate tool because it captures query plans and performance data over time, even in the Hyperscale tier. It enables you to identify the query with excessive physical reads, review its plan history, and force a better plan. Other tools either lack historical data or do not support plan forcing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Extended Events session with sql_batch_completed and query_post_execution_showplan events.
Why it's wrong here
Extended Events can capture query plans via query_post_execution_showplan, but it is resource-intensive and does not provide a built-in mechanism to force a plan. It is a diagnostic tool, not a plan management tool. Query Store is more efficient for this purpose.
- ✗
Dynamic management views sys.dm_exec_requests and sys.dm_exec_sql_text.
Why it's wrong here
These DMVs provide real-time information about currently executing requests and their SQL text, but they do not retain historical data or allow plan forcing. They are useful for immediate troubleshooting but cannot be used to analyze past queries or force a plan.
- ✓
Query Store, using the Top Resource Consuming Queries report and plan forcing.
Why this is correct
Query Store is fully supported in the Hyperscale service tier and captures query plans and runtime statistics. It allows you to identify resource-intensive queries, view their plans, and force a specific plan. This directly meets the need to capture, analyze, and force a plan for a query causing excessive physical reads.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database automatic tuning with CREATE_INDEX.
Why it's wrong here
Automatic tuning's CREATE_INDEX option can create indexes to improve performance, but it does not allow you to capture and force a specific query plan. It operates automatically based on workload analysis and does not provide manual plan forcing capabilities.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Optimizing Database Query and Index Performance
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.
Key term
Query Store
Query Store is a built-in SQL Server feature that captures and stores a history of query execution plans and performance data for easy monitoring and troubleshooting.
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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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