DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
A small business needs a cost-effective relational database for a new web application. The workload is light and predictable. They want to minimize administrative overhead. Which Azure service should they choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose Azure SQL Database (provisioned DTU) because it is fully managed, but they overlook the serverless option's cost-saving auto-pause feature, which is specifically designed for light, predictable workloads with idle periods.
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 serverless
Azure SQL Database serverless is the correct choice because it automatically pauses the database during periods of inactivity, charging only for storage and compute used. This aligns perfectly with the small business's need for a cost-effective, low-administration relational database for a light, predictable workload, as it eliminates the need to manage infrastructure or pay for idle compute.
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, while a managed relational database service, still operates on a provisioned compute model, incurring costs even during idle periods. This doesn't fully meet the requirement for minimising administrative overhead and maximum cost-effectiveness for a light, predictable workload. It is tempting because it offers a fully managed relational database, reducing operational burden compared to self-hosting. This service would be a strong choice if the business specifically required PostgreSQL compatibility, or for workloads needing dedicated, consistent compute resources with predictable performance.
- ✗
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
Why it's wrong here
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines is an IaaS solution where you deploy SQL Server on a Windows or Linux VM. You retain full control but are responsible for applying OS and SQL Server updates, configuring backups and high availability, and managing storage performance. You pay hourly for the VM compute and SQL Server licensing even when unused, so for a small business wanting low administrative overhead and cost-effectiveness, this option is the least appropriate.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database (provisioned DTU)
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database in the provisioned DTU tier assigns a fixed quantity of compute and storage resources that are billed continuously, whether or not the workload uses them. It is a fully managed PaaS service, but the provisioned model suits steady-state, always-on workloads rather than light or intermittent ones, where you would be paying for idle capacity. The DTU model also offers limited scaling granularity compared to vCore-based serverless, making it a poor fit for minimising cost on a small business database.
- ✓
Azure SQL Database serverless
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Database serverless is a fully managed PaaS offering with vCore-based compute that automatically scales to match the workload and pauses during periods of inactivity. While paused, you are billed only for storage, not compute, which makes it the most cost-effective choice for a small business with light, intermittent database usage. It remains a relational database with no administrative overhead, and the auto-pause delay can be configured to suit the application's needs.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Relational Data Concepts
Key term
Relational database
A relational database organizes data into tables with rows and columns, where each table relates to others using unique keys, allowing efficient storage, retrieval, and manipulation of structured information.
Key term
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database-as-a-service (DBaaS) in Microsoft Azure, based on the SQL Server engine, that handles scaling, backups, patching, and high availability automatically.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.