DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. 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 organization uses Azure SQL Database and needs to maintain a copy of the database for read-only reporting without affecting the production workload. Which feature should they use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Active geo-replication
Active geo-replication (Option C) creates a readable secondary replica of an Azure SQL Database in a different Azure region. This secondary replica is continuously updated asynchronously from the primary and can be used for read-only query workloads, offloading reporting traffic without impacting the production database's performance or transaction throughput.
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.
✗
Azure SQL Database read replica
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database does not have a separate read replica feature; geo-replication is used instead.
✗
Automated backups
Why it's wrong here
Backups are point-in-time copies, not live replicas for reporting.
✓
Active geo-replication
Why this is correct
Active geo-replication provides readable secondary replicas that can be used for reporting.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Failover groups
Why it's wrong here
Failover groups manage geo-replication but the secondary is for failover, not necessarily for read-only reporting.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'read replica' (which exists in Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Azure SQL Managed Instance) with the standard Azure SQL Database feature, or they mistakenly think failover groups themselves provide the readable copy, when in fact it is Active geo-replication that creates the readable secondary.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Active geo-replication uses asynchronous replication based on the Always On availability groups technology, with a recovery point objective (RPO) of up to 5 seconds. The secondary replica is accessible via a read-only connection string (server.database.windows.net with ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly), allowing reporting queries to run without blocking or being blocked by transactions on the primary. In a real-world scenario, a global e-commerce company could use this to run regional sales reports from a secondary in a different Azure region, reducing latency for analysts while keeping the primary focused on transactional writes.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Describe core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Active geo-replication — Active geo-replication (Option C) creates a readable secondary replica of an Azure SQL Database in a different Azure region. This secondary replica is continuously updated asynchronously from the primary and can be used for read-only query workloads, offloading reporting traffic without impacting the production database's performance or transaction throughput.
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.
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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