Sample questions
Azure Databases Sql CosmosdbDifficulty 1
What is Azure SQL Database?
- aA self-managed SQL Server installed on an Azure VM that the customer patches
- bA fully managed PaaS relational database service based on the SQL Server engine✓
- cA managed NoSQL document database with a SQL-like query dialect and cannot run standard T-SQL queries
- dA data warehouse product optimized only for batch analytics workloads
Explanation:Azure SQL Database is a fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS) relational database built on the SQL Server engine — Microsoft handles patching, backups, and high availability. A describes an IaaS SQL Server VM instead, c describes Cosmos DB, and d describes Azure Synapse Analytics.
Azure Databases Sql CosmosdbDifficulty 1
In the DTU (Database Transaction Unit) purchasing model for Azure SQL Database, what does a DTU represent?
- aA fixed number of raw CPU cores dedicated exclusively to the database
- bThe total storage capacity in gigabytes allocated to the database, set independently of compute size
- cA blended measure of CPU, memory, and I/O combined into a single performance unit✓
- dThe number of concurrent user connections allowed to the database
Explanation:A DTU is a blended, single measure that bundles CPU, memory, and I/O (data and log) throughput into one performance metric — you pick a DTU-based tier and get a bundle of these resources rather than sizing each independently. It is not a raw core count (a), storage size (b), or a connection limit (d).
Azure Databases Sql CosmosdbDifficulty 2
How does the vCore purchasing model for Azure SQL Database differ from the DTU model?
- avCore lets you independently choose compute (vCores/memory) and storage, rather than a single bundled unit✓
- bvCore only supports the Basic and Standard service tiers, unlike DTU, and cannot be changed after database creation
- cvCore is exclusively for Azure SQL Managed Instance and cannot be used for single databases
- dvCore removes the ability to scale storage separately from compute, unlike DTU
Explanation:The vCore model exposes compute (number of virtual cores and memory) and storage as independently configurable dimensions, giving finer-grained control and transparent mapping to hardware generation, whereas DTU bundles them into one abstract unit. vCore actually supports Business Critical, General Purpose, and Hyperscale tiers for single databases (b and c are wrong), and it is DTU that couples resources more rigidly, not vCore (d is backwards).
Azure Databases Sql CosmosdbDifficulty 2
What distinguishes the Business Critical service tier from General Purpose in Azure SQL Database (vCore model)?
- aBusiness Critical uses remote, network-attached storage while General Purpose uses local SSD
- bBusiness Critical does not support automatic backups, unlike General Purpose, requiring a separate backup vault to be configured
- cGeneral Purpose provides built-in readable secondary replicas, while Business Critical does not
- dBusiness Critical uses locally attached SSD storage and includes built-in readable secondary replicas for lower latency and higher availability✓
Explanation:Business Critical uses locally attached, high-performance SSD storage (rather than remote storage) and always provisions an availability group with readable secondary replicas built in, giving lower I/O latency and near-instant failover. It is General Purpose that relies on remote storage (a and c reverse the tiers), and both tiers support automatic backups (b is wrong).
Azure Databases Sql CosmosdbDifficulty 2
What is the primary purpose of an Azure SQL Database Auto-failover Group?
- aTo automatically split one database into multiple shards for horizontal scaling
- bTo manage geo-replication and provide automatic (or manual) failover to a secondary region using a stable connection endpoint✓
- cTo automatically resize compute tiers up or down based on CPU utilization
- dTo encrypt data at rest using customer-managed keys stored in Key Vault, rotated automatically every 90 days
Explanation:An Auto-failover Group wraps geo-replication for one or more databases and exposes stable read-write and read-only listener endpoints, so applications don't need to change connection strings after a failover — it can fail over automatically on outage detection or be triggered manually. It is not a sharding mechanism (a), an autoscaling feature (c), or an encryption feature (d).
Azure Databases Sql CosmosdbDifficulty 1
What is an elastic pool in Azure SQL Database?
- aA single very large database that automatically shards itself across regions
- bA backup mechanism that stores point-in-time snapshots in Blob Storage, retained for a maximum of 35 days
- cA shared set of resources (DTUs or vCores) that multiple databases can draw from based on demand✓
- dA dedicated hardware cluster reserved exclusively for one customer's workload
Explanation:An elastic pool lets multiple databases with variable and unpredictable usage patterns share a pool of resources (DTUs or vCores) within a budget, instead of each database being provisioned for its own peak — cost-efficient when usage patterns don't peak simultaneously. It is not a single sharded database (a), a backup mechanism (b), or dedicated hardware (d).