DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are troubleshooting a performance issue on an Azure SQL Database. Which TWO actions should you prioritize to identify the root cause of high resource consumption?
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
✓
Review the Query Store Top Resource Consuming Queries report.
To identify the root cause of high resource consumption, you should use diagnostic tools that analyze query performance. The Query Store's Top Resource Consuming Queries report (D) provides historical insight into which queries consumed the most resources. Additionally, querying sys.dm_exec_query_stats (E) allows you to find queries with high total_worker_time, indicating CPU-intensive queries. Options A (rebuilding indexes) and B (changing recovery model) are corrective actions, not diagnostic. Option C (scaling to a higher service tier) is a reactive mitigation that does not identify the root cause. Therefore, options D and E are the correct prioritized actions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rebuild all indexes to improve query performance.
Why it's wrong here
Rebuilding indexes is a remediation that changes the workload before evidence is gathered, so the original cause may be erased. It is tempting because fragmentation commonly degrades performance, and would be correct after Query Store or wait statistics confirm fragmentation, but the question asks for root-cause identification.
- ✗
Change the database recovery model to Simple.
Why it's wrong here
Switching to Simple recovery reduces log growth and transaction log waits, altering behaviour instead of revealing the cause. It is tempting because log-related waits frequently drive high consumption, and would be valid for a log-heavy workload, but it is a remediation action, not a diagnostic one.
- ✗
Scale the database to a higher service tier to mitigate the issue.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling changes the resource allocation, masking the symptom rather than identifying which query, wait type or plan causes consumption. It is tempting because scaling often relieves pressure, and would be correct once diagnosis confirms the tier is genuinely undersized, but the question asks for root-cause identification.
- ✓
Review the Query Store Top Resource Consuming Queries report.
Why this is correct
Query Store captures per-query runtime statistics, including CPU, duration, and logical reads, persisted across plan changes. The Top Resource Consuming Queries report ranks statements by total consumption, directly isolating which queries drive the high resource usage reported in the stem, rather than merely confirming that consumption is elevated.
- ✓
Query sys.dm_exec_query_stats to find queries with high total_worker_time.
Why this is correct
Querying sys.dm_exec_query_stats exposes cumulative CPU consumption per cached plan via total_worker_time, directly satisfying the stem's need to pinpoint which queries drive high resource use. Aggregated worker time ranks the worst offenders, letting you correlate top CPU consumers with the observed performance issue before tuning indexes or rewriting statements.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Overview of Azure Data Platform Options
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.
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
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.