DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You are tuning an Azure SQL Database workload. Which TWO actions can help reduce PAGELATCH_EX contention?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse PAGELATCH_EX contention with PAGEIOLATCH_EX (I/O-related waits) and incorrectly assume that adding indexes or changing parallelism settings will resolve the issue, when in fact the solution involves reducing contention on in-memory allocation structures through filegroup or partitioning strategies.
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 multiple data files to the filegroup
Adding multiple data files to the filegroup helps reduce PAGELATCH_EX contention by distributing page allocation activity across multiple files. When a single data file is used, all concurrent insert operations compete for the same allocation page (e.g., PFS, GAM, SGAM), causing exclusive latches. With multiple files, each file has its own set of allocation structures, allowing parallel allocation operations to proceed with less contention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase MAXDOP
Why it's wrong here
Can increase contention.
- ✓
Add multiple data files to the filegroup
Why this is correct
Distributes allocation pages.
- ✗
Use a columnstore index
Why it's wrong here
Not related to page latch contention.
- ✗
Configure a readable secondary replica
Why it's wrong here
Does not reduce primary contention.
- ✓
Use hash partitioning on a table
Why this is correct
Distributes data across files.
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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