DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
You manage an Azure SQL Managed Instance. You need to monitor storage space usage. Which TWO dynamic management views can you use?
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
✓
sys.dm_db_file_space_usage
Options C and D are correct. sys.dm_db_file_space_usage provides data file space usage, and sys.dm_db_log_space_usage provides transaction log space usage. Option A is incorrect because sys.dm_db_partition_stats shows row counts and partition-level information, not storage space. Option B is incorrect because sys.dm_exec_query_stats is for query performance metrics. Option E is incorrect because sys.dm_os_performance_counters includes various performance counters but does not directly show per-database space usage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
sys.dm_db_partition_stats
Why it's wrong here
sys.dm_db_partition_stats reports row and page counts per partition and index, which estimates table data size but excludes transaction log, tempdb and unallocated file space. It is tempting because page counts approximate storage, and it would be correct for identifying large tables or index fragmentation.
- ✗
sys.dm_exec_query_stats
Why it's wrong here
sys.dm_exec_query_stats returns aggregated execution statistics for cached query plans, exposing nothing about data or log file consumption. It is genuinely useful for identifying costly queries and plan performance. Storage monitoring requires sys.dm_db_file_space_usage and sys.dm_db_log_space_usage, which report per-file allocated, used and free space.
- ✓
sys.dm_db_file_space_usage
Why this is correct
`sys.dm_db_file_space_usage` returns page counts per database file, split into allocated, unallocated and mixed-extent categories, letting you track space consumed within each data and log file. This directly satisfies the requirement to monitor storage space usage on the managed instance, since it exposes per-file consumption without relying on instance-level or host-level metrics.
- ✓
sys.dm_db_log_space_usage
Why this is correct
sys.dm_db_log_space_usage reports transaction log space consumption for the current database on a managed instance, directly satisfying the requirement to monitor storage usage. It returns total log size, used log space and percent used, exposing log growth that consumes instance storage.
- ✗
sys.dm_os_performance_counters
Why it's wrong here
sys.dm_os_performance_counters returns Windows-style performance counter values such as buffer cache hit ratio, not per-file or per-database space consumption. It is tempting because it is a general monitoring DMV, and it would be correct for tracking instance-level throughput, waits or memory pressure rather than storage usage.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Overview of Azure Data Platform Options
Key term
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure SQL Managed Instance is a fully managed cloud database service that gives you nearly all the features of Microsoft SQL Server on your own server, without you having to manage the hardware or operating system.
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