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. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. A key principle to apply: nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.. 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 library management system uses Azure SQL Database. The Books table has 500,000 rows with columns: BookID (primary key, clustered), Title, Author, ISBN, PublishedYear, CopiesAvailable. Queries frequently filter by Author and then sort results by PublishedYear in descending order. The queries also return the Title and CopiesAvailable columns. Which indexing strategy will most improve query performance for these operations?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a nonclustered index on (Author, PublishedYear DESC) and include (Title, CopiesAvailable)
Option A is correct because it creates a covering nonclustered index on (Author, PublishedYear DESC) that directly supports the filter (Author) and sort (PublishedYear DESC) operations. Including Title and CopiesAvailable as non-key columns makes the index covering, meaning all required columns are in the index leaf level, so SQL Server can satisfy the query entirely from the index without key lookups to the clustered index. This minimizes I/O and improves query performance.
Key principle: Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.
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 a nonclustered index on (Author, PublishedYear DESC) and include (Title, CopiesAvailable)
Why this is correct
This covering index supports the filter and sort without accessing the base table.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.
✗
Create a nonclustered index on Author only
Why it's wrong here
This index helps the filter, but the database must still sort by PublishedYear, which can be expensive for large result sets.
✗
Create a nonclustered index on PublishedYear DESC
Why it's wrong here
This does not help filter by Author; the query would still scan or filter on Author separately.
✗
Keep only the existing clustered index on BookID
Why it's wrong here
Without an index on Author, queries will scan the entire clustered index, which is inefficient.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think any index on the filtered column (Author) is sufficient, overlooking the need to also cover the sort order and include all returned columns to avoid key lookups.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SQL Server uses the index key order to avoid an explicit sort when the ORDER BY matches the index key order (with same direction). The INCLUDE clause stores the specified columns only at the leaf level, not in the index key, which keeps the index narrower and reduces maintenance overhead. In a real-world scenario with 500,000 rows, a covering index can reduce query cost from a table scan (thousands of logical reads) to a few index seeks and range scans.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.
Included columns in a nonclustered index avoid bookmark lookups.
Index key order (e.g., `Author, PublishedYear DESC`) supports filtering and sorting.
A covering index contains all columns needed by a query's `SELECT` and `WHERE` clauses.
TExam Day Tips
→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
Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Review nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table., then practise related DP-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — This question tests Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a nonclustered index on (Author, PublishedYear DESC) and include (Title, CopiesAvailable) — Option A is correct because it creates a covering nonclustered index on (Author, PublishedYear DESC) that directly supports the filter (Author) and sort (PublishedYear DESC) operations. Including Title and CopiesAvailable as non-key columns makes the index covering, meaning all required columns are in the index leaf level, so SQL Server can satisfy the query entirely from the index without key lookups to the clustered index. This minimizes I/O and improves query performance.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Review nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table., then practise related DP-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.
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