DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
A company is planning to deploy a relational database on Azure. They need to ensure that the database supports automatic backups, point-in-time restore, and built-in high availability without requiring them to manage failover clustering or availability groups. Which Azure SQL deployment option should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that SQL Server on Azure VMs with Always On Availability Groups is necessary for high availability, when Azure SQL Database provides it automatically without management overhead.
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
✓
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed PaaS service that automatically handles high availability, backups, and point-in-time restore. It requires no management of failover clustering or availability groups. While Azure SQL Managed Instance also offers these benefits, it is intended for scenarios requiring instance-level features. For a straightforward relational database with automatic management, Azure SQL Database is the best fit.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Why it's wrong here
Azure Database for PostgreSQL offers automatic backups and high availability, but it is a PostgreSQL-based service, not SQL Server. The scenario does not specify a preference for PostgreSQL, and the company likely expects SQL Server compatibility. Thus, it is not the best fit for a generic relational database requirement that implies SQL Server.
- ✗
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Managed Instance also provides built-in high availability and automatic backups, but it is a more feature-rich PaaS offering that includes instance-level capabilities. While it meets the requirements, it may be overkill if the company does not need cross-database queries or SQL Server Agent. However, the scenario does not exclude it, but Azure SQL Database is more straightforward for a single database.
- ✗
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines with Always On Availability Groups
Why it's wrong here
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines with Always On Availability Groups provides high availability and disaster recovery, but it requires the company to configure and manage the availability groups, failover clustering, and backups. This adds significant administrative overhead and does not meet the requirement for a solution that eliminates management of these components.
- ✓
Azure SQL Database
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Database automatically provides built-in high availability, automatic backups, and point-in-time restore without any user configuration. It abstracts away the underlying infrastructure, so the company does not need to manage failover clustering or availability groups. This fully meets the stated requirements.
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Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
Key term
SQL Managed Instance
SQL Managed Instance is a cloud database service from Azure that gives you most of the features of a full SQL Server instance without you having to manage the underlying hardware or software patches.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
This DP-900 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-900 exam.