The correct answer is to configure a failover group with automatic failover policy and set the secondary to non-readable. This configuration meets the disaster recovery requirements because failover groups for Azure SQL Managed Instance provide automatic, orchestrated failover between primary and secondary regions, ensuring minimal data loss through continuous data replication. By setting the secondary to non-readable, you prevent any read traffic from being routed to the secondary region during normal operations, which directly satisfies the company’s need to avoid using the secondary for reads. On the DP-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of the difference between failover groups and active geo-replication—a common trap is assuming that automatic failover requires a readable secondary, but in fact, automatic failover works independently of the readable setting. Remember the memory tip: “Auto failover, no reads—just a standby for speed.”
DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of identify considerations for relational data on azure. 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.
A financial services company runs a critical application on Azure SQL Managed Instance. They need to ensure that in the event of a regional outage, the database can be failed over to a secondary region with minimal data loss and automatic failover. The secondary region should not be used for read traffic during normal operations. Which configuration meets these requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure a failover group with automatic failover policy and set the secondary to non-readable
Option A is correct because failover groups with automatic failover and readable secondary set to 'No' provide disaster recovery with minimal data loss and no read traffic on secondary. Option B is wrong because active geo-replication allows read-only access on secondary. Option C is wrong because automatic failover groups require readable secondary to be enabled for automatic failover. Option D is wrong because backup restore does not provide automatic failover and has higher data loss.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Create an automatic failover group with readable secondary enabled
Why it's wrong here
Readable secondary would allow read traffic, which is not desired.
✗
Use Azure SQL Database backup to blob storage and restore to another region
Why it's wrong here
Backup restore is manual and has higher RPO/RTO.
✗
Implement active geo-replication and manually initiate failover
Why it's wrong here
Geo-replication makes secondary readable and requires manual failover.
✓
Configure a failover group with automatic failover policy and set the secondary to non-readable
Why this is correct
Failover groups with automatic failover and readable secondary disabled meet the requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Identify which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — This question tests Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a failover group with automatic failover policy and set the secondary to non-readable — Option A is correct because failover groups with automatic failover and readable secondary set to 'No' provide disaster recovery with minimal data loss and no read traffic on secondary. Option B is wrong because active geo-replication allows read-only access on secondary. Option C is wrong because automatic failover groups require readable secondary to be enabled for automatic failover. Option D is wrong because backup restore does not provide automatic failover and has higher data loss.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Identify which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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