DP-300 Implement a secure environment Practice Question
Your company uses Azure SQL Managed Instance and requires that all connections from client applications use Microsoft Entra authentication with multi-factor authentication (MFA). You configure Azure SQL Managed Instance to support Microsoft Entra authentication and create a contained database user for the application. However, when the application attempts to connect, it receives error '18456, state 10' indicating that the login is not recognized. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume a contained database user must be mapped to a server-level login (Option A), but in Azure SQL Managed Instance, contained users are independent and authenticate directly via Microsoft Entra tokens, making the mapping misconception the primary distractor.
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
✓
The application is using a SQL login instead of a Microsoft Entra token or integrated authentication.
Error 18456, state 10 specifically indicates that the login was not recognized by SQL Server. Since the application is configured to use a contained database user with Microsoft Entra authentication, the most likely cause is that the application is attempting to connect using a SQL login (username/password) rather than presenting a Microsoft Entra access token or using integrated authentication. Contained database users require authentication through the Microsoft Entra ID token flow, not SQL Server authentication.
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 contained database user is not mapped to a server-level login.
Why it's wrong here
Contained users are not required to have server-level logins.
- ✗
The client IP address is not allowed by the server-level firewall rule.
Why it's wrong here
Firewall rules control network access, not authentication.
- ✓
The application is using a SQL login instead of a Microsoft Entra token or integrated authentication.
Why this is correct
The application must use Microsoft Entra authentication method; error 18456 state 10 indicates a SQL login attempt.
- ✗
The server principal (server admin) is not a Microsoft Entra account.
Why it's wrong here
The server admin can be a SQL login; contained users are independent.
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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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.