The answer is to enable read scale-out by adding the 'readScale' property to the ARM template. This is the most significant performance improvement within the General Purpose tier because it creates a read-only replica of your database, allowing you to offload the low-latency read workload entirely from the primary replica. By doing so, you avoid resource contention on the primary and achieve consistent, fast query responses without changing the tier or adding compute costs. On the DP-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of Azure SQL Database’s built-in high-availability architecture, where the General Purpose tier already maintains a readable secondary replica that is simply disabled by default. A common trap is assuming you need to upgrade to Business Critical or add more vCores, but the exam expects you to recognize that read scale-out leverages existing replicas for free. Memory tip: think “readScale = read replica” — if the workload is read-only, flip the switch on the secondary.
DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. You are reviewing an ARM template for an Azure SQL Database deployment. The database must support a read-only workload that requires low latency. The current configuration uses General Purpose tier with 4 vCores. What is the most significant performance improvement you can make without changing the tier?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable read scale-out by adding 'readScale' property
Enabling read scale-out by adding the 'readScale' property allows the database to use a read-only replica, offloading read workloads from the primary and providing low-latency reads. This is the most significant performance improvement within the General Purpose tier because it directly addresses the read-only workload requirement without changing the tier or incurring additional compute costs.
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.
✗
Increase maxSizeBytes to 1 TB
Why it's wrong here
Increasing max size does not improve performance; it only increases storage capacity.
✗
Set the edition to 'Serverless'
Why it's wrong here
Serverless is a compute tier, not a performance improvement within General Purpose; it may introduce latency due to auto-pausing.
✓
Enable read scale-out by adding 'readScale' property
Why this is correct
Read scale-out allows read-only queries to be routed to a secondary replica, improving performance for read workloads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change requestedBackupStorageRedundancy to 'Local'
Why it's wrong here
Backup redundancy does not affect database performance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse scaling storage (maxSizeBytes) or changing backup redundancy with performance improvements, but the question specifically targets read latency for a read-only workload, which is directly addressed by read scale-out rather than storage or backup changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Read scale-out leverages the built-in read-only replica that Azure SQL Database automatically provisions in the General Purpose tier; when enabled, connections with ApplicationIntent=ReadOnly are routed to this replica, which has its own compute and storage resources. This replica is kept transactionally consistent via log shipping, ensuring that read workloads do not contend with write operations on the primary. In real-world scenarios, this is ideal for reporting or analytics queries that can tolerate slight replication lag (typically under a few seconds) while requiring consistent low latency.
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 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.
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: Enable read scale-out by adding 'readScale' property — Enabling read scale-out by adding the 'readScale' property allows the database to use a read-only replica, offloading read workloads from the primary and providing low-latency reads. This is the most significant performance improvement within the General Purpose tier because it directly addresses the read-only workload requirement without changing the tier or incurring additional compute costs.
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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