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. 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.
Which TWO factors should you consider when choosing between Azure SQL Database and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Compatibility with on-premises SQL Server features
Options A and C are correct. Managed service vs. IaaS is a key differentiator. Feature compatibility is also important because managed instance offers high compatibility but not 100%. Option B is wrong because both services support TDE. Option D is wrong because both support geo-replication (Azure SQL Database has active geo-replication; SQL Server on VM can use Always On AG). Option E is wrong because both support auditing.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Need for database auditing
Why it's wrong here
Both support auditing.
✗
Support for geo-replication
Why it's wrong here
Both support geo-replication.
✓
Compatibility with on-premises SQL Server features
Why this is correct
Managed instance offers high compatibility; virtual machine offers full compatibility.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Need for Transparent Data Encryption
Why it's wrong here
Both support TDE.
✓
Level of administrative control required
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Database is fully managed; SQL Server on VM gives full control.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DP-900 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — This question tests Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Compatibility with on-premises SQL Server features — Options A and C are correct. Managed service vs. IaaS is a key differentiator. Feature compatibility is also important because managed instance offers high compatibility but not 100%. Option B is wrong because both services support TDE. Option D is wrong because both support geo-replication (Azure SQL Database has active geo-replication; SQL Server on VM can use Always On AG). Option E is wrong because both support auditing.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DP-900 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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