Question 918 of 982

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

Quick Answer

The correct answer is to create a nonclustered index on (OrderDate DESC, Status) INCLUDE (CustomerID, TotalAmount). This strategy works because it builds a covering index with sort order for Azure SQL Database, meaning the index itself contains all columns needed by the query—both the filtered columns and the returned columns—so SQL Server can resolve the query entirely from the index without touching the clustered index. On the DP-900 exam, this tests your understanding of how covering indexes eliminate costly key lookups and how specifying a descending sort order in the index definition avoids an extra sort operation for ORDER BY DESC clauses. A common trap is to create the index without the INCLUDE clause or to forget the descending order, which forces either a lookup or an explicit sort. Memory tip: “Cover and sort in one pass”—if your index covers the query and matches the sort direction, you skip both the lookup and the sort.

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 company uses Azure SQL Database for an order management system. The Orders table has millions of rows with columns: OrderID (primary key, clustered), CustomerID, OrderDate, Status (e.g., 'Shipped', 'Pending'), TotalAmount. Queries frequently filter on OrderDate and Status, and sort results by OrderDate in descending order. They return several columns including TotalAmount. Which indexing strategy will most improve query performance?

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 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Create a nonclustered index on (OrderDate DESC, Status) INCLUDE (CustomerID, TotalAmount)
Correct. This index matches the filter columns in the correct order and includes the ORDER BY direction. Included columns cover additional columns needed, making it a covering index for many queries.
B
Create a clustered index on (OrderDate, Status)
Why wrong: Incorrect. The primary key already creates a clustered index on OrderID. Changing it would require redesigning the table. Also, a clustered index on (OrderDate, Status) may not be selective enough and does not help ORDER BY DESC.
C
Create a nonclustered index on (Status) only
Why wrong: Incorrect. This only helps the filter on Status, but does not support the OrderDate filter or the sort order. Additional processing would be needed.
D
Create a columnstore index on the entire table
Why wrong: Incorrect. Columnstore indexes are best for large aggregation queries on many columns, not for point-lookup or range queries with sort order. This would likely hurt performance for these OLTP-style queries.

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 DESC, Status) INCLUDE (CustomerID, TotalAmount)

Option A is correct because it creates a covering nonclustered index that matches the query's filter and sort order exactly. The index on (OrderDate DESC, Status) allows SQL Server to seek directly on OrderDate and Status, and the descending order avoids a sort operation for the ORDER BY OrderDate DESC clause. Including CustomerID and TotalAmount as included columns makes this a covering index, so the query can be satisfied entirely from the index without key lookups to the clustered index, which is critical for performance on a table with millions of rows.

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 (OrderDate DESC, Status) INCLUDE (CustomerID, TotalAmount)
Why this is correct
Correct. This index matches the filter columns in the correct order and includes the ORDER BY direction. Included columns cover additional columns needed, making it a covering index for many queries.
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 clustered index on (OrderDate, Status)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The primary key already creates a clustered index on OrderID. Changing it would require redesigning the table. Also, a clustered index on (OrderDate, Status) may not be selective enough and does not help ORDER BY DESC.
✗
Create a nonclustered index on (Status) only
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This only helps the filter on Status, but does not support the OrderDate filter or the sort order. Additional processing would be needed.
✗
Create a columnstore index on the entire table
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Columnstore indexes are best for large aggregation queries on many columns, not for point-lookup or range queries with sort order. This would likely hurt performance for these OLTP-style queries.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often think a clustered index on the filter columns is always best, but they forget that the clustered index already exists on OrderID and that a covering nonclustered index with included columns is more efficient for specific query patterns without disrupting the existing table structure.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, SQL Server uses the index key columns for both seek and sort operations; by specifying ORDER BY OrderDate DESC in the index definition, the index leaf pages are already sorted in descending order, eliminating the need for an explicit sort in the query plan. The INCLUDE columns are stored only at the leaf level, so they do not affect the index key size or the b-tree structure, but they make the index covering for the query. In a real-world scenario, if the table has millions of rows and the query is run frequently, a covering index can reduce I/O from thousands of page reads to just a few, dramatically improving response time.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table.
INCLUDE columns allow a nonclustered index to be 'covering' for specific queries.
Index key order and direction (ASC/DESC) directly impact sort performance.
Covering indexes reduce I/O by avoiding base table lookups.

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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review nonclustered indexes store data separately from the base table., then practise related DP-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.

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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 — 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 (OrderDate DESC, Status) INCLUDE (CustomerID, TotalAmount) — Option A is correct because it creates a covering nonclustered index that matches the query's filter and sort order exactly. The index on (OrderDate DESC, Status) allows SQL Server to seek directly on OrderDate and Status, and the descending order avoids a sort operation for the ORDER BY OrderDate DESC clause. Including CustomerID and TotalAmount as included columns makes this a covering index, so the query can be satisfied entirely from the index without key lookups to the clustered index, which is critical for performance on a table with millions of rows.

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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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on DP-900

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. A retail company uses Azure SQL Database for an order management system. The Orders table has columns: OrderID (primary key, clustered), CustomerID, OrderDate, TotalAmount. Queries frequently filter on CustomerID and OrderDate, and sort results by OrderDate in descending order. The queries also return the TotalAmount. Which indexing strategy will most improve query performance for these operations?

medium

A.Maintain the existing clustered index on OrderID only.
✓ B.Create a nonclustered index on (CustomerID, OrderDate DESC) INCLUDE (TotalAmount).
C.Create a nonclustered index on (OrderDate DESC) INCLUDE (CustomerID, TotalAmount).
D.Create a clustered columnstore index on the entire table.

Why B: Option B is correct because it creates a covering nonclustered index that supports both the filter predicates (CustomerID and OrderDate) and the sort order (OrderDate DESC) while including TotalAmount as an included column to avoid key lookups. This index allows SQL Server to satisfy the query entirely from the index pages, minimizing I/O and improving performance.

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