DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment
You have an Azure SQL Database named DB1 that uses the Hyperscale service tier. The database has a primary replica and multiple named replicas. You need to ensure that read-only workloads are offloaded to a named replica and that the named replica remains available if the primary replica fails. What should you do?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly on the primary connection string will automatically route to a named replica, when in fact named replicas require a dedicated connection string.
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
✓
Configure the application to connect to the named replica using its connection string and set ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly.
Named replicas in Azure SQL Database Hyperscale are independent read-only replicas that must be accessed via their own connection string. They continue to serve read workloads even if the primary fails, providing high availability for read operations. Using the primary connection string with ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly does not target named replicas; it targets the built-in read-only replicas. Geo-secondaries are for disaster recovery and not the same as named replicas.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a geo-secondary in another region and redirect read-only connections to it.
Why it's wrong here
A geo-secondary is for disaster recovery and can be used for read-only workloads, but it is not a named replica. It replicates asynchronously and may have higher latency. The requirement is to use a named replica, which is a local read-only replica within the same region. This option does not meet the specific need for a named replica.
- ✓
Configure the application to connect to the named replica using its connection string and set ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly.
Why this is correct
Named replicas in Hyperscale are separate read-only replicas that can be connected to directly using their own connection string. Setting ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly ensures the connection is routed to a read-only replica if using a listener. This offloads read workloads and the named replica remains available even if the primary fails, as it is an independent replica.
- ✗
Enable read-scale out on the primary database and use the read-only listener.
Why it's wrong here
Read-scale out for Hyperscale allows connections to the built-in read-only replicas, but it does not support named replicas. Named replicas are a separate feature that requires explicit creation and connection. This option does not address the use of named replicas and may not provide the desired isolation for read workloads.
- ✗
Use the primary replica's connection string with ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly to route to a named replica.
Why it's wrong here
ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly on the primary connection string routes to a built-in read-only replica, not to a named replica. Named replicas have their own endpoints and must be connected to directly. This approach would not offload to the named replica and might not provide the expected isolation.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Configuring Disaster Recovery for Azure SQL
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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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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