DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are troubleshooting a performance issue in an Azure SQL Database. You need to identify the queries that are consuming the most CPU over the last hour. Which two methods can you use? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse sys.dm_exec_requests (current state) with sys.dm_exec_query_stats (historical aggregates), or assume wait stats directly identify CPU-heavy queries, when in fact they indicate what queries are waiting on, not what is consuming CPU.
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
✓
sys.dm_exec_query_stats
sys.dm_exec_query_stats (Option A) returns aggregate performance statistics for cached query plans, including total CPU time (total_worker_time), which can be filtered by creation_time or last_execution_time to focus on the last hour. Query Store's top resource consuming queries report (Option E) provides a built-in, graphical view of queries ranked by CPU, duration, or other metrics over a configurable time window, making it ideal for identifying high-CPU queries in the last hour.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
sys.dm_exec_query_stats
Why this is correct
Provides cumulative CPU time for cached plans.
- ✗
sys.dm_os_wait_stats
Why it's wrong here
Shows wait types, not CPU usage.
- ✗
sys.dm_db_index_usage_stats
Why it's wrong here
Shows index usage, not CPU.
- ✗
sys.dm_exec_requests
Why it's wrong here
Shows currently executing requests, not historical.
- ✓
Query Store top resource consuming queries report
Why this is correct
Shows top queries by CPU over a time range.
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.
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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