Question 497 of 982

Identify considerations for relational data on Azure →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

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. 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.

An e-commerce application uses Azure SQL Database. The Orders table stores millions of rows with columns: OrderID (primary key, clustered index), CustomerID, OrderDate, OrderStatus, TotalAmount. Queries frequently filter on OrderDate and OrderStatus, and sort results by OrderDate DESC. Which indexing strategy will most improve query performance for these filters and sort?

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.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Full question →

A
Create a nonclustered index on OrderDate only.
Why wrong: An index on OrderDate alone would help with filtering by OrderDate and sorting, but it would not help with the additional filter on OrderStatus. The database would still need to filter by OrderStatus after the seek, which may be less efficient.
B
Create a nonclustered index on OrderDate, OrderStatus and include other columns needed by the query.
A composite nonclustered index on (OrderDate, OrderStatus) allows the query to filter on both columns efficiently and provides the data already sorted by OrderDate (the leading key). Including other columns avoids key lookups, making the query even faster.
C
Create a clustered columnstore index on the table.
Why wrong: Clustered columnstore indexes are designed for large analytical workloads that scan many rows, not for OLTP queries that filter on specific columns and sort. They may degrade performance for point queries and range scans with sort operations.
D
Create a nonclustered index on OrderStatus only.
Why wrong: An index on OrderStatus alone helps with filtering on OrderStatus, but does not help with the OrderDate filter or sorting by OrderDate. The database would still need to sort the results or scan many rows.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Create a nonclustered index on OrderDate, OrderStatus and include other columns needed by the query.

Option B is correct because a nonclustered index on (OrderDate, OrderStatus) supports both the filter and the sort in a single index seek/scan. SQL Server can use the index to locate rows matching both predicates and return them already sorted by OrderDate DESC without a separate sort operation, which is critical for performance on millions of rows.

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 a nonclustered index on OrderDate only.
Why it's wrong here
An index on OrderDate alone would help with filtering by OrderDate and sorting, but it would not help with the additional filter on OrderStatus. The database would still need to filter by OrderStatus after the seek, which may be less efficient.
✓
Create a nonclustered index on OrderDate, OrderStatus and include other columns needed by the query.
Why this is correct
A composite nonclustered index on (OrderDate, OrderStatus) allows the query to filter on both columns efficiently and provides the data already sorted by OrderDate (the leading key). Including other columns avoids key lookups, making the query even faster.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a clustered columnstore index on the table.
Why it's wrong here
Clustered columnstore indexes are designed for large analytical workloads that scan many rows, not for OLTP queries that filter on specific columns and sort. They may degrade performance for point queries and range scans with sort operations.
✗
Create a nonclustered index on OrderStatus only.
Why it's wrong here
An index on OrderStatus alone helps with filtering on OrderStatus, but does not help with the OrderDate filter or sorting by OrderDate. The database would still need to sort the results or scan many rows.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often think a single-column index on the most filtered column (OrderDate) is sufficient, overlooking that the second filter (OrderStatus) and the sort order require a composite index to avoid extra processing.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, SQL Server can use a covering nonclustered index to satisfy both the WHERE clause and the ORDER BY clause without touching the clustered index (key lookups) if the index includes all referenced columns. The index key order (OrderDate, OrderStatus) allows a single index range scan that returns rows in OrderDate DESC order because the index is already sorted; the status filter is applied as a residual predicate on the same index pages. In a real-world scenario, if queries also need TotalAmount, adding it as an included column avoids costly lookups entirely.

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.

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

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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Related DP-900 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Describe core data concepts practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe core data concepts.

Describe an analytics workload on Azure practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe an analytics workload on Azure.

Identify considerations for relational data on Azure practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Identify considerations for relational data on Azure.

Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure.

DP-900 fundamentals practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 fundamentals.

DP-900 scenario practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 scenario.

DP-900 troubleshooting practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 troubleshooting.

Practice this exam

Start a free DP-900 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

DP-900 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DP-900 question test?

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: Create a nonclustered index on OrderDate, OrderStatus and include other columns needed by the query. — Option B is correct because a nonclustered index on (OrderDate, OrderStatus) supports both the filter and the sort in a single index seek/scan. SQL Server can use the index to locate rows matching both predicates and return them already sorted by OrderDate DESC without a separate sort operation, which is critical for performance on millions of rows.

What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.