Quick Answer
The answer is synchronous commit mode on the distributed AG. This setting ensures no data loss across Azure regions because it forces the primary replica to wait for the secondary replica in the other region to confirm that all committed transactions have been hardened to disk before acknowledging the commit to the application. Without synchronous commit, an asynchronous distributed availability group would allow transactions to be acknowledged before reaching the secondary, leading to potential data loss if the primary region fails. On the DP-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of how distributed availability groups differ from regular AGs, specifically that synchronous commit is the only way to guarantee zero data loss across regions. A common trap is confusing automatic seeding (which only handles initial data copy) with ongoing synchronization. Memory tip: think "Sync for Safety" — synchronous commit synchronizes every transaction to prevent loss.
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You have a SQL Server on Azure VM running SQL Server 2022 with a Distributed availability group (DAG) for disaster recovery across two Azure regions. You need to ensure that the secondary replica can become the primary without data loss if the primary region fails. What setting must be configured?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Backup preference set to secondary
Why wrong: Backup preference does not affect data loss.
Asynchronous commit mode on the distributed AG
Why wrong: Asynchronous commit can lead to data loss on failover.
Synchronous commit mode on the distributed AG
Synchronous commit ensures no data loss on failover.
Automatic seeding enabled
Why wrong: Automatic seeding is for initial data synchronization.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Synchronous commit mode on the distributed AG
Option D is correct because synchronous commit mode with automatic seeding ensures that all committed transactions are replicated to the secondary before acknowledgment. Option A is incorrect because asynchronous commit may cause data loss. Option B is incorrect because backup priority does not affect data loss. Option C is incorrect because automatic seeding is for initial setup, not ongoing synchronization.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Backup preference set to secondary
Why it's wrong here
Backup preference does not affect data loss.
Asynchronous commit mode on the distributed AG
Why it's wrong here
Asynchronous commit can lead to data loss on failover.
Synchronous commit mode on the distributed AG
Why this is correct
Synchronous commit ensures no data loss on failover.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Automatic seeding enabled
Why it's wrong here
Automatic seeding is for initial data synchronization.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — This question tests Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Synchronous commit mode on the distributed AG — Option D is correct because synchronous commit mode with automatic seeding ensures that all committed transactions are replicated to the secondary before acknowledgment. Option A is incorrect because asynchronous commit may cause data loss. Option B is incorrect because backup priority does not affect data loss. Option C is incorrect because automatic seeding is for initial setup, not ongoing synchronization.
Identify which DP-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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.
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