Quick Answer
The correct action is to increase the number of vCores, which scales up the database’s compute resources to handle peak-hour latency without any application code changes. In Azure SQL Database, scaling up vCores directly boosts CPU and memory capacity, allowing the Business Critical tier to process more transactions per second during high demand. On the DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of vertical scaling versus horizontal scaling—a common trap is confusing read replicas (which improve read-only workloads) with the need to reduce write latency. Remember that scaling up adds power to the existing node, while scaling out adds nodes; for write-heavy performance issues, always think “up” not “out.” A useful memory tip: “vCore up for more chore, replicas for reading the store.”
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. 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.
A company uses Azure SQL Database with the Business Critical service tier. They notice increased latency during peak hours. They need to improve performance without changing the application code. Which action should they take?
Increase the number of vCores
Scaling up provides more CPU/memory to handle peak load.
Add a read replica
Why wrong: Read replicas offload read queries, but write latency remains.
Enable auto-pause
Why wrong: Auto-pause is for serverless, not for performance improvement.
Change the service tier to General Purpose
Why wrong: General Purpose has lower performance than Business Critical.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Increase the number of vCores
Option B is correct because increasing the number of vCores (scale up) provides more resources to handle peak load without code changes. Option A is wrong because adding read replicas helps read scalability but not write latency. Option C is wrong because changing to General Purpose might reduce performance. Option D is wrong because enabling auto-pause is for serverless, not for performance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Increase the number of vCores
Why this is correct
Scaling up provides more CPU/memory to handle peak load.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Add a read replica
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas offload read queries, but write latency remains.
Enable auto-pause
Why it's wrong here
Auto-pause is for serverless, not for performance improvement.
Change the service tier to General Purpose
Why it's wrong here
General Purpose has lower performance than Business Critical.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Identify which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — This question tests Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Increase the number of vCores — Option B is correct because increasing the number of vCores (scale up) provides more resources to handle peak load without code changes. Option A is wrong because adding read replicas helps read scalability but not write latency. Option C is wrong because changing to General Purpose might reduce performance. Option D is wrong because enabling auto-pause is for serverless, not for performance.
Identify which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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