The answer is that the failover changed the secondary instance to primary, and read-only routing is not configured for the new secondary. This is because in a failover group, when a planned failover occurs, the roles swap: the former secondary becomes the primary, and the original primary becomes the new secondary. Read-only queries fail with error 4060 because the connection string still points to the old secondary (now primary), which is writable and rejects read-only intent unless the listener’s read-only routing list is updated to direct traffic to the actual new secondary. On the DP-300 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of failover group behavior and the critical distinction between read-write and read-only listeners; a common trap is assuming the secondary remains readable after failover without reconfiguring routing. Remember the mnemonic “Failover flips roles, routing must follow”—always verify that the read-only routing list on the new primary points to the correct secondary after any failover event.
DP-300 Practice Question: Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery environment
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 an Azure SQL Managed Instance configured with a failover group between the primary region (East US) and secondary region (West US). The secondary instance is used for read-only query workloads. During a planned failover test, you notice that after failover, the read-only queries on the secondary instance fail with error 4060 (cannot open database). What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The failover changed the secondary instance to primary, and read-only routing is not configured for the new secondary.
Option C is correct because after failover, the secondary role changes to primary, and the database becomes writable. Read-only routing must be reconfigured or the connection string must specify ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly to reach the new secondary. Option A (secondary is not readable) is false because failover groups support readable secondary. Option B (firewall rules) would cause a different error. Option D (license type) does not affect read access.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The secondary instance is not in the same license type as the primary.
Why it's wrong here
License type does not affect read access.
✗
The firewall rules on the secondary instance do not allow the client IP.
Why it's wrong here
Firewall issues would cause a different error, such as cannot connect.
✓
The failover changed the secondary instance to primary, and read-only routing is not configured for the new secondary.
Why this is correct
After failover, the old secondary becomes primary; read-only routing must point to the new secondary (the old primary).
Clue confirmation
The clue words "most likely", "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The secondary instance is not configured to allow read-only access.
Why it's wrong here
Failover groups allow read-only access to the secondary by default.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-300 question in full detail.
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.
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..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The failover changed the secondary instance to primary, and read-only routing is not configured for the new secondary. — Option C is correct because after failover, the secondary role changes to primary, and the database becomes writable. Read-only routing must be reconfigured or the connection string must specify ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly to reach the new secondary. Option A (secondary is not readable) is false because failover groups support readable secondary. Option B (firewall rules) would cause a different error. Option D (license type) does not affect read access.
What should I do if I get this DP-300 question wrong?
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely", "primary". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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