DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
A startup is deploying a new application on Azure SQL Database. They expect the database to start at 10 GB but grow to 500 GB over time. They want to be able to scale compute independently of storage and only pay for the compute resources they use. They also want to avoid over-provisioning and automatically pause during idle periods. Which purchasing model and service tier should they choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the DTU model's 'auto-pause' feature (which does not exist) with the vCore serverless tier's auto-pause, or assume the Basic tier's low cost and simplicity fit a growing database without checking its 2 GB storage limit.
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
✓
vCore-based model with General Purpose serverless tier
The vCore-based General Purpose serverless tier is correct because it allows independent scaling of compute and storage, automatically pauses the database during idle periods to eliminate compute costs, and supports growth from 10 GB to 500 GB without manual intervention. This model aligns with the startup's need to pay only for consumed compute resources and avoid over-provisioning.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
DTU-based model with Basic tier
Why it's wrong here
The DTU-based Basic tier caps resources at roughly 5 DTUs and 2 GB of storage, making it acceptable only for extremely small, steady-state workloads. It inherits the DTU model's inability to independently scale compute, and because it is not serverless, it cannot auto-pause; therefore, a new application with unpredictable demand would hit both performance and cost-control limits.
When this WOULD be correct
A question where the database is small (under 2 GB), requires minimal performance, and the priority is lowest cost with no need for scaling compute independently or auto-pause. For example, a simple test database with predictable low usage.
- ✓
vCore-based model with General Purpose serverless tier
Why this is correct
The vCore-based General Purpose serverless tier decouples compute and storage, letting the database independently scale compute from 1 to 16 vCores and automatically pause when the session is idle. This means compute is billed only when active, while storage remains separately billed and durable, precisely matching an intermittent new application's desire to avoid paying for unused capacity.
- ✗
vCore-based model with Business Critical provisioned tier
Why it's wrong here
The vCore-based Business Critical provisioned tier delivers low-latency in-memory OLTP and multiple always-on replicas, but it requires reserving a fixed number of vCores around the clock. Since this tier has no serverless or auto-pause option, the database keeps consuming and billing for compute even during long idle periods, making it over-provisioned and costly for a startup's intermittent workload.
When this WOULD be correct
A question requiring high performance, low latency, and built-in high availability for mission-critical workloads, where the database size is stable and predictable, and the organization is willing to over-provision compute to guarantee performance.
- ✗
DTU-based model with Standard tier
Why it's wrong here
The DTU-based Standard tier bundles compute, storage, and I/O into a fixed DTU unit, so scaling compute requires changing the entire service tier, and the database remains provisioned regardless of workload. It has no serverless mode or auto-pause capability, meaning an intermittent application would still incur continuous charges for idle resources, unlike the General Purpose serverless option.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The DP-900 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓vCore-based model with General Purpose serverless tierCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The vCore-based General Purpose serverless tier decouples compute and storage, letting the database independently scale compute from 1 to 16 vCores and automatically pause when the session is idle. This means compute is billed only when active, while storage remains separately billed and durable, precisely matching an intermittent new application's desire to avoid paying for unused capacity.
✗DTU-based model with Basic tierWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The DTU-based Basic tier offers limited storage (max 2 GB) and does not support scaling compute independently of storage, nor does it provide auto-pause capabilities. It cannot accommodate growth from 10 GB to 500 GB.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question where the database is small (under 2 GB), requires minimal performance, and the priority is lowest cost with no need for scaling compute independently or auto-pause. For example, a simple test database with predictable low usage.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume the Basic tier is sufficient for a startup due to its low cost, overlooking the storage and scalability requirements specified in the question.
✗vCore-based model with Business Critical provisioned tierWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The Business Critical tier is provisioned, not serverless, so it cannot automatically pause during idle periods, and it does not allow independent scaling of compute and storage with pay-per-use billing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question requiring high performance, low latency, and built-in high availability for mission-critical workloads, where the database size is stable and predictable, and the organization is willing to over-provision compute to guarantee performance.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate vCore with flexibility and Business Critical with high performance, overlooking that the question specifically requires serverless auto-pause and pay-per-use compute, which are not available in provisioned tiers.
Analysis generated from the official DP-900blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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
Azure SQL Services
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.
Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
About these practice questions
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JA
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.