Quick Answer
The correct choice is to configure a long-term retention (LTR) policy. This is because Azure SQL Database’s LTR feature is specifically designed to retain full database backups for up to 10 years, directly meeting the compliance requirement for a decade-long backup retention. Unlike point-in-time restore (PITR), which typically keeps backups for 1–35 days, LTR stores backups in isolated geo-redundant containers, ensuring regulatory data preservation without impacting operational restore performance. On the DP-300 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between PITR and LTR policies, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly select PITR with a 35-day max. Remember: PITR is for short-term recovery; LTR is your long-term compliance tool. A helpful mnemonic is “LTR = Long-Term Retention = Legal Ten-Year Requirement.”
This DP-300 practice question tests your understanding of plan and implement data platform resources. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Your organization requires that all Azure SQL Database backups be retained for 10 years to meet compliance requirements. Which backup retention policy should you configure?
Configure point-in-time restore (PITR) retention to 10 years.
Why wrong: PITR retention max is 35 days.
Enable automatic tuning to optimize backups.
Why wrong: Automatic tuning does not affect backup retention.
Configure long-term retention (LTR) policy.
LTR allows up to 10 years of backup retention.
Enable geo-redundant backup storage (GRS).
Why wrong: GRS provides geographic redundancy, not extended retention.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Configure long-term retention (LTR) policy.
Long-term retention (LTR) in Azure SQL Database allows you to retain full database backups for up to 10 years, which meets the compliance requirement for 10-year backup retention. LTR policies are configured separately from point-in-time restore (PITR) and store backups in isolated containers for extended periods, ensuring regulatory compliance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Configure point-in-time restore (PITR) retention to 10 years.
Why it's wrong here
PITR retention max is 35 days.
Enable automatic tuning to optimize backups.
Why it's wrong here
Automatic tuning does not affect backup retention.
Configure long-term retention (LTR) policy.
Why this is correct
LTR allows up to 10 years of backup retention.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enable geo-redundant backup storage (GRS).
Why it's wrong here
GRS provides geographic redundancy, not extended retention.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse point-in-time restore (PITR) retention with long-term retention (LTR), assuming PITR can be extended to years, but Azure SQL Database caps PITR at 35 days, making LTR the only option for multi-year compliance.
Detailed technical explanation
Long-term retention (LTR) in Azure SQL Database uses full database backups stored in Azure Blob storage with a retention period configurable from 1 to 10 years, and you can define policies based on weekly, monthly, or yearly backup schedules. Under the hood, LTR backups are independent of automated PITR backups and are stored in a separate container, allowing you to restore to a specific LTR backup point even after the PITR window expires. In a real-world scenario, a financial institution might use LTR to retain yearly backups for 10 years to meet regulatory audits while still using PITR for daily operational recovery.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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FAQ
Plan and implement data platform resources — This question tests Plan and implement data platform resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Configure long-term retention (LTR) policy. — Long-term retention (LTR) in Azure SQL Database allows you to retain full database backups for up to 10 years, which meets the compliance requirement for 10-year backup retention. LTR policies are configured separately from point-in-time restore (PITR) and store backups in isolated containers for extended periods, ensuring regulatory compliance.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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