Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources →hardMultiple Choice

DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit. The following Azure CLI output shows the configuration of an Azure SQL Database:

{
  "name": "SalesDB",
  "tier": "GeneralPurpose",
  "capacity": 4,
  "family": "Gen5",
  "storage": 1024,
  "auto_pause_delay": 60
}

You need to optimize costs for SalesDB, which is used only during business hours (8 AM to 6 PM). The database currently runs 24/7. Which change should you make?

⚠ Common exam trap

DP-300 often tests cost optimization by presenting idle-time scenarios — the trap is choosing 'reduce capacity' or 'reduce storage' because they sound like cost cuts, while missing that only auto-pause eliminates compute charges during idle hours.

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

✓

Enable serverless with auto-pause enabled.

Azure SQL Database serverless with auto-pause enabled automatically pauses the database after a period of inactivity and resumes on the next connection, so the database incurs no compute charges outside business hours. This directly matches the 8 AM–6 PM usage pattern and reduces cost without manual intervention.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
Reduce storage to 512 GB.
Why it's wrong here
Storage size does not drive compute billing; shrinking it leaves the database running and charged around the clock. It is tempting because storage is a visible cost line, and reducing it would be correct where the database is genuinely over-provisioned relative to actual data volume, not idle hours.
✗
Change tier to Hyperscale.
Why it's wrong here
Hyperscale raises cost and scales compute for large workloads; it does nothing to stop charges accruing outside 8 AM to 6 PM. It is tempting because Hyperscale suits rapidly growing databases, and would be correct where the problem is capacity or performance limits rather than idle-time spend.
✓
Enable serverless with auto-pause enabled.
Why this is correct
Serverless with auto-pause suspends compute after inactivity and resumes on connection, so SalesDB only incurs compute cost during the 8 AM to 6 PM window. Storage charges persist, but idle overnight and weekend compute is eliminated.
✗
Reduce capacity to 2 vCores.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing vCores lowers the hourly rate but the database still runs and bills for all 24 hours, so idle-time spend remains. It is tempting because right-sizing compute is a standard cost lever, and would be correct where the workload is over-provisioned during the hours it actually runs.

Quick reference

Cloud Service Model Comparison

Model	You Manage	Provider Manages	Examples
IaaS	OS, runtime, apps, data	Hardware, hypervisor, networking	EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine
PaaS	Apps and data	OS, runtime, middleware, hardware	Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service
SaaS	Data and settings only	Everything else	Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday
FaaS / Serverless	Function code only	Infra, scaling, runtime	Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run
CaaS	Containers and apps	Kubernetes, OS, hardware	EKS, AKS, GKE

Go deeper

DP-300 Practice Question: Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Cloud Service Model Comparison

Related to this question