DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
A company is migrating a 1.5 TB on-premises SQL Server database to Azure. The database relies on SQL Server Agent jobs for daily ETL processes and uses linked servers to query data from another on-premises SQL Server database. The company wants a fully managed PaaS service that requires minimal application changes. Which Azure SQL service should they choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers choose Azure SQL Database because it is the most well-known PaaS option, failing to recognize that its lack of SQL Server Agent and linked server support would require significant application changes, which the question explicitly wants to minimize.
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 Managed Instance
Azure SQL Managed Instance is the correct choice because it provides near 100% compatibility with on-premises SQL Server, including support for SQL Server Agent jobs and linked servers, while being a fully managed PaaS service. This minimizes application changes, as the migration can leverage the existing database code and features without significant rework.
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
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database is incorrect because it is a single-database PaaS offering that does not support instance-scoped functionality such as SQL Server Agent jobs, linked servers, or cross-database queries using three-part names. It uses elastic jobs as a replacement for SQL Agent and does not support linked servers at all, so migrating a database that depends on these features would require significant application changes.
When this WOULD be correct
A company needs a fully managed PaaS database for a new application with no dependency on SQL Server Agent jobs or linked servers, and wants built-in high availability and elastic scaling options.
- ✓
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Managed Instance is the correct choice because it provides near-complete SQL Server engine compatibility, including instance-scoped features such as SQL Server Agent, linked servers, CLR, Service Broker, and distributed transactions, while being a fully managed PaaS offering. It offloads patching, backups, and high availability, allowing a lift-and-shift migration of a 1.5 TB on-premises SQL Server database with minimal application changes.
- ✗
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
Why it's wrong here
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines is incorrect because it is an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offering that requires you to manage the virtual machine, operating system, SQL Server instance, patching, backups, and high availability configuration. While it does support SQL Server Agent and linked servers, its operational overhead and lack of fully managed PaaS capabilities do not meet the requirement for a fully managed service.
When this WOULD be correct
A company needs to migrate a SQL Server database to Azure but requires full control over the operating system and SQL Server configuration, such as installing custom software or using features not available in PaaS. They are willing to manage the VM and SQL Server themselves.
- ✗
Azure Synapse Analytics
Why it's wrong here
Azure Synapse Analytics is incorrect because it is a distributed analytical data warehouse built on massively parallel processing (MPP) architecture, not an OLTP platform for transactional workloads. It does not provide instance-level features like SQL Server Agent or linked servers, and its dedicated SQL pools are designed for large-scale data warehousing and analytics, making it unsuitable for migrating a traditional SQL Server OLTP database that relies on these features.
When this WOULD be correct
A company needs to migrate a 10+ TB data warehouse from on-premises SQL Server to Azure, requiring massive parallel processing for complex analytical queries. The solution must integrate with Azure Data Lake and support PolyBase for querying external data. Azure Synapse Analytics would be the correct choice.
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.
✓Azure SQL Managed InstanceCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Managed Instance is the correct choice because it provides near-complete SQL Server engine compatibility, including instance-scoped features such as SQL Server Agent, linked servers, CLR, Service Broker, and distributed transactions, while being a fully managed PaaS offering. It offloads patching, backups, and high availability, allowing a lift-and-shift migration of a 1.5 TB on-premises SQL Server database with minimal application changes.
✗Azure SQL DatabaseWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure SQL Database does not support SQL Server Agent jobs or linked servers, which are required for the company's daily ETL processes and cross-database queries.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company needs a fully managed PaaS database for a new application with no dependency on SQL Server Agent jobs or linked servers, and wants built-in high availability and elastic scaling options.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think Azure SQL Database is the default PaaS choice for SQL Server migration, overlooking its limitations with agent jobs and linked servers.
✗SQL Server on Azure Virtual MachinesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines is an IaaS service, not fully managed PaaS, and requires the company to manage the VM and SQL Server, including patching and backups, which contradicts the requirement for minimal application changes and a fully managed service.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company needs to migrate a SQL Server database to Azure but requires full control over the operating system and SQL Server configuration, such as installing custom software or using features not available in PaaS. They are willing to manage the VM and SQL Server themselves.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that because SQL Server on Azure VMs supports SQL Server Agent jobs and linked servers without changes, it is a good fit, overlooking that it is not a fully managed PaaS service and requires more administrative overhead.
✗Azure Synapse AnalyticsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Synapse Analytics is a distributed analytics service designed for large-scale data warehousing and big data workloads, not for migrating a single 1.5 TB SQL Server database with minimal application changes. It lacks support for SQL Server Agent jobs and linked servers, and would require significant application rewrites.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company needs to migrate a 10+ TB data warehouse from on-premises SQL Server to Azure, requiring massive parallel processing for complex analytical queries. The solution must integrate with Azure Data Lake and support PolyBase for querying external data. Azure Synapse Analytics would be the correct choice.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think Synapse Analytics is suitable for any large database migration because of its 'analytics' name and ability to handle large volumes, overlooking its lack of support for SQL Server Agent jobs, linked servers, and the need for minimal application changes.
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?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
Key term
SQL Managed Instance
SQL Managed Instance is a cloud database service from Azure that gives you most of the features of a full SQL Server instance without you having to manage the underlying hardware or software patches.
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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.