- A
Read scale-out
Correct. Read scale-out creates a read-only replica that can handle reporting and read workloads without impacting the primary's performance, and it can be used with a connection string that enables read-only routing.
- B
Active geo-replication
Why wrong: Incorrect. Active geo-replication provides readable secondary replicas in different regions for disaster recovery, but it is primarily for high availability and can incur higher cost. It is not the simplest solution for offloading reads within the same region.
- C
Azure SQL Database elastic pool
Why wrong: Incorrect. An elastic pool is used to share resources among multiple databases, not to create read replicas for a single database.
- D
Query Performance Insight
Why wrong: Incorrect. Query Performance Insight is a monitoring and diagnostic tool that helps identify performance issues, but it does not offload read traffic.
Quick Answer
The answer is read scale-out, which is the correct Azure SQL Database feature to offload read queries without increasing the primary database tier or modifying application code. This feature works by routing read-only queries to a secondary, read-only replica when the connection string includes `ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly`, allowing the primary replica to focus on write operations while the secondary handles high-volume reads like product catalog lookups. On the DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to scale read performance cost-effectively, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose higher service tiers or read replicas that require application changes. Remember that read scale-out is a built-in, no-code solution for read-heavy workloads—just a connection string tweak. A helpful memory tip: think “Read scale-out = Read-only replica, no code change, no tier upgrade.”
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: read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers.. 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 global e-commerce company uses Azure SQL Database for its product catalog. The application experiences high read traffic for product detail pages, often running the same queries for popular items. The database’s write workload is moderate. The company wants to improve read performance without increasing the cost of the primary database tier and without changing the application code. Which Azure SQL Database feature should they implement?
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.
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
Read scale-out
Read scale-out (A) is correct because it offloads read-only queries to a secondary replica of the Azure SQL Database without changing the application code. By setting `ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly` in the connection string, the database routes read queries to a read-only replica, improving performance for high-read workloads like product detail pages while keeping the primary tier unchanged and avoiding additional cost for a higher tier.
Key principle: Read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Read scale-out
Why this is correct
Correct. Read scale-out creates a read-only replica that can handle reporting and read workloads without impacting the primary's performance, and it can be used with a connection string that enables read-only routing.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers.
- ✗
Active geo-replication
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Active geo-replication provides readable secondary replicas in different regions for disaster recovery, but it is primarily for high availability and can incur higher cost. It is not the simplest solution for offloading reads within the same region.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database elastic pool
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. An elastic pool is used to share resources among multiple databases, not to create read replicas for a single database.
- ✗
Query Performance Insight
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Query Performance Insight is a monitoring and diagnostic tool that helps identify performance issues, but it does not offload read traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Active geo-replication with read scale-out, assuming geo-replication can also offload reads, but geo-replication requires explicit connection string changes and does not provide automatic read routing like read scale-out does.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Read scale-out leverages the Always On availability group technology, where Azure SQL Database automatically creates a readable secondary replica in the same region. The client driver (e.g., ADO.NET, ODBC) uses the `ApplicationIntent` property in the connection string to direct read-only queries to the secondary replica, which can handle up to the same DTU/vCore capacity as the primary, effectively doubling read throughput without scaling the primary. This feature is available on the Business Critical and Premium service tiers, not on General Purpose or Standard tiers, which is a key deployment consideration.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers.
- It automatically provisions a read-only replica for read-intensive workloads.
- Applications connect to the read-only replica using `ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly` in the connection string.
- Read scale-out does not incur additional cost beyond the primary database tier.
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
Read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers., 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 — Read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Read scale-out — Read scale-out (A) is correct because it offloads read-only queries to a secondary replica of the Azure SQL Database without changing the application code. By setting `ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly` in the connection string, the database routes read queries to a read-only replica, improving performance for high-read workloads like product detail pages while keeping the primary tier unchanged and avoiding additional cost for a higher tier.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Review read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers., 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?
Read scale-out is available for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Premium/Business Critical tiers.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
2 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 company runs an e-commerce platform on Azure SQL Database. The database handles many concurrent transactions (OLTP). The business team runs complex reporting queries on the same database during business hours, which slows down the transactional workload. The company wants to offload the reporting queries to a separate read-only copy of the database to avoid performance impact. Which Azure SQL Database feature should they enable?
medium- A.Hyperscale service tier
- B.Geo-replication
- ✓ C.Read scale-out
- D.Elastic query
Why C: Read scale-out (C) is the correct feature because it allows Azure SQL Database to offload read-only workloads, such as complex reporting queries, to a separate read-only replica. This is achieved by using the `ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly` connection string parameter, which routes queries to a secondary replica, thereby preventing performance impact on the primary transactional (OLTP) workload. This feature is specifically designed for scenarios where you need to isolate reporting from high-concurrency OLTP operations without requiring a separate database copy.
Variation 2. An e-commerce company runs a product inventory database on Azure SQL Database. During a flash sale, write transactions are slow because many read queries are running simultaneously and consuming resources. The company wants to isolate read workloads without modifying application code or database schemas. Which Azure SQL Database feature should they implement?
medium- A.Active geo-replication
- ✓ B.Read scale-out
- C.Auto-failover groups
- D.Elastic pools
Why B: Read scale-out (B) is correct because it allows read-only queries to be offloaded to a read-only replica of the database, freeing up the primary replica for write transactions. This feature is built into Azure SQL Database at the Business Critical and Premium service tiers, and it requires no application code changes—just a connection string modification to use the `ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly` parameter. It directly addresses the performance bottleneck caused by concurrent read queries during the flash sale.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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