Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Study guide for Exam DP-300:
Administering Microsoft Azure SQL
Solutions
Purpose of this document
This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of
the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this
document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.
Useful links Description
Review the skills measured This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided.
as of February 2, 2023 Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date.
Review the skills measured Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date
prior to February 2, 2023 provided.
Change log You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the
changes that will be made on the date provided.
How to earn the Some certifications only require passing one exam, while others
certification require passing multiple exams.
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annually. You can renew by passing a free online assessment on
Microsoft Learn.
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profile and renew exams and share and print certificates.
Passing score A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.
Exam sandbox You can explore the exam environment by visiting our exam
sandbox.
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Useful links Description
Request accommodations If you use assistive devices, require extra time, or need modification
to any part of the exam experience, you can request an
accommodation.
Take a practice test Are you ready to take the exam or do you need to study a bit more?
Updates to the exam
Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have
included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.
We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other
languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated.
Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the
exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete
the exam.
Note
The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that
skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.
Note
Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on
Preview features if those features are commonly used.
Skills measured as of February 2, 2023
Audience profile
Candidates for this exam should have subject matter expertise in building database solutions that are
designed to support multiple workloads built with SQL Server on-premises and Azure SQL database
services.
Candidates for this exam are database administrators who manage on-premises and cloud databases
built with SQL Server and SQL database services.
The Azure database administrator implements and manages the operational aspects of cloud-native
and hybrid data platform solutions built on SQL Server and SQL database services. Professionals in this
role use a variety of methods and tools to perform and automate day-to-day operations, including
applying knowledge of using T-SQL and other tools for administrative management purposes.
These professionals are responsible for management, availability, security, and performance monitoring
and optimization of database solutions. They evaluate and implement migration strategies for moving
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
databases between Azure and on-premises. Plus, they work with Azure data engineers, Azure solution
architects, Azure developers, Data Scientist and other professionals to manage operational aspects of
data platform solutions.
Candidates for this exam should have knowledge of and experience with Azure SQL Edge, Azure SQL
Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (Windows and
Linux).
• Plan and implement data platform resources (20–25%)
• Implement a secure environment (15–20%)
• Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources (20–25%)
• Configure and manage automation of tasks (15–20%)
• Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment (20–25%)
Plan and implement data platform resources (20–25%)
Plan and deploy Azure SQL Database solutions
• Deploy database offerings on selected platforms
• Understand automated deployment
• Apply patches and updates for hybrid and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) deployment
• Deploy hybrid SQL Server database solutions
• Recommend an appropriate database offering based on specific requirements
• Evaluate the security aspects of the possible database offering
• Recommend a table partitioning solution
• Recommend a database sharding solution
Configure resources for scale and performance
• Configure Azure SQL Database for scale and performance
• Configure Azure SQL Managed Instance for scale and performance
• Configure SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines for scale and performance
• Configure table partitioning
• Configure data compression
Plan and implement a migration strategy
• Evaluate requirements for the migration
• Evaluate offline or online migration strategies
• Implement an online migration strategy
• Implement an offline migration strategy
• Perform post migration validations
• Troubleshoot a migration
• Set up SQL Data Sync for Azure
• Implement a migration to Azure
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
• Implement a migration between Azure SQL services
Implement a secure environment (15–20%)
Configure database authentication and authorization
• Configure authentication by using Active Directory and Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure
AD), part of Microsoft Entra
• Create users from Azure AD identities
• Configure security principals
• Configure database and object-level permissions using graphical tools
• Apply principle of least privilege for all securables
• Troubleshoot authentication and authorization issues
• Manage authentication and authorization by using T-SQL
Implement security for data at rest and data in transit
• Implement transparent data encryption (TDE)
• Implement object-level encryption
• Configure server- and database-level firewall rules
• Implement Always Encrypted
• Configure secure access
• Configure Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Implement compliance controls for sensitive data
• Apply a data classification strategy
• Configure server and database audits
• Implement data change tracking
• Implement dynamic data masking
• Manage database resources by using Azure Purview
• Implement Azure SQL Database ledger
• Implement row-level security
• Configure Microsoft Defender for SQL
Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources (20–25%)
Monitor resource activity and performance
• Prepare an operational performance baseline
• Determine sources for performance metrics
• Interpret performance metrics
• Configure and monitor activity and performance
• Monitor by using SQL Insights
• Monitor by using Extended Events
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Monitor and optimize query performance
• Configure Query Store
• Monitor by using Query Store
• Identify sessions that cause blocking
• Identify performance issues using dynamic management views (DMVs)
• Identify and implement index changes for queries
• Recommend query construct modifications based on resource usage
• Assess the use of query hints for query performance
• Review execution plans
Configure database solutions for optimal performance
• Implement index maintenance tasks
• Implement statistics maintenance tasks
• Implement database integrity checks
• Configure database automatic tuning
• Configure server settings for performance
• Configure Resource Governor for performance
• Implement database-scoped configuration
• Configure compute and storage resources for scaling
• Configure intelligent query processing (IQP)
Configure and manage automation of tasks (15–20%)
Create and manage SQL Server Agent jobs
• Manage schedules for regular maintenance jobs
• Configure job alerts and notifications
• Troubleshoot SQL Server Agent jobs
Automate deployment of database resources
• Automate deployment by using Azure Resource Manager templates (ARM templates) and Bicep
• Automate deployment by using PowerShell
• Automate deployment by using Azure CLI
• Monitor and troubleshoot deployments
Create and manage database tasks in Azure
• Create and configure elastic jobs
• Create and configure database tasks by using automation
• Automate database workflows by using Azure Logic Apps
• Configure alerts and notifications on database tasks
• Troubleshoot automated database tasks
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR)
environment (20–25%)
Recommend an HA/DR strategy for database solutions
• Recommend HA/DR strategy based on Recovery Point Objective/Recovery Time Objective
(RPO/RTO) requirements
• Evaluate HA/DR for hybrid deployments
• Evaluate Azure-specific HA/DR solutions
• Recommend a testing procedure for an HA/DR solution
Plan and perform backup and restore of a database
• Recommend a database backup and restore strategy
• Perform a database backup by using database tools
• Perform a database restore by using database tools
• Perform a database restore to a point in time
• Configure long-term backup retention
• Backup and restore a database by using T-SQL
• Backup and restore to and from cloud storage
Configure HA/DR for database solutions
• Configure active geo-replication
• Configure an Always On availability group
• Configure auto-failover groups
• Configure quorum options for a Windows Server Failover Cluster
• Configure failover cluster instances on Azure Virtual Machines
• Configure log shipping
• Monitor an HA/DR solution
• Troubleshoot an HA/DR solution
Study resources
We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-
study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.
Study resources Links to learning and documentation
Get trained Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an
instructor-led course
Find documentation Azure SQL documentation
Azure SQL Database documentation
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Study resources Links to learning and documentation
Azure documentation
Ask a question Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs
Get community support Azure Data - Microsoft Tech Community
Follow Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community
Find a video Exam Readiness Zone
Data Exposed
Browse other Microsoft Learn shows
Change log
Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface
followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of
the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.
Skill area prior to February 2, 2023 Skill area as of February 2, 2023 Change
Audience profile Audience profile Minor
Plan and implement data platform Plan and implement data platform No change
resources resources
Plan and deploy Azure SQL Database Plan and deploy Azure SQL Database Minor
solutions solutions
Configure resources for scale and Configure resources for scale and Minor
performance performance
Plan and implement a migration strategy Plan and implement a migration strategy No change
Implement a secure environment Implement a secure environment No change
Configure database authentication and Configure database authentication and No change
authorization authorization
Implement security for data at rest and Implement security for data at rest and No change
data in transit data in transit
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Skill area prior to February 2, 2023 Skill area as of February 2, 2023 Change
Implement compliance controls for Implement compliance controls for No change
sensitive data sensitive data
Monitor, configure, and optimize Monitor, configure, and optimize No change
database resources database resources
Monitor resource activity and Monitor resource activity and No change
performance performance
Monitor and optimize query Monitor and optimize query No change
performance performance
Configure database solutions for optimal Configure database solutions for optimal No change
performance performance
Configure and manage automation of Configure and manage automation of No change
tasks tasks
Create and manage SQL Server Agent Create and manage SQL Server Agent No change
jobs jobs
Automate deployment of database Automate deployment of database No change
resources resources
Create and manage database tasks in Create and manage database tasks in No change
Azure Azure
Plan and configure a high availability Plan and configure a high availability No change
and disaster recovery (HA/DR) and disaster recovery (HA/DR)
environment environment
Recommend an HA/DR strategy for Recommend an HA/DR strategy for No change
database solutions database solutions
Plan and perform backup and restore of Plan and perform backup and restore of Minor
a database a database
Configure HA/DR for database solutions Configure HA/DR for database solutions No change
Skills measured prior to February 2, 2023
• Plan and implement data platform resources (20–25%)
• Implement a secure environment (15–20%)
• Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources (20–25%)
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Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
• Configure and manage automation of tasks (15–20%)
• Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment (20–25%)
Plan and implement data platform resources (20–25%)
Plan and deploy Azure SQL Database solutions
• Deploy database offerings on selected platforms
• Understand automated deployment
• Apply patches and updates for hybrid and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) deployment
• Deploy hybrid SQL Server database solutions
• Recommend an appropriate database offering based on specific requirements
• Evaluate the security aspects of the possible database offering
• Recommend a table partitioning solution
• Recommend a database sharding solution
Configure resources for scale and performance
• Configure Azure SQL Database for scale and performance
• Configure Azure SQL Managed Instance for scale and performance
• Configure SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines for scale and performance
• Configure table partitioning
• Configure data compression
Plan and implement a migration strategy
• Evaluate requirements for the migration
• Evaluate offline or online migration strategies
• Implement an online migration strategy
• Implement an offline migration strategy
• Perform post migration validations
• Troubleshoot a migration
• Set up SQL Data Sync for Azure
• Implement a migration to Azure
• Implement a migration between Azure SQL services
Implement a secure environment (15–20%)
Configure database authentication and authorization
• Configure authentication by using Active Directory and Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure
AD), part of Microsoft Entra
• Create users from Azure AD identities
• Configure security principals
• Configure database and object-level permissions using graphical tools
9
Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
• Apply principle of least privilege for all securables
• Troubleshoot authentication and authorization issues
• Manage authentication and authorization by using T-SQL
Implement security for data at rest and data in transit
• Implement transparent data encryption (TDE)
• Implement object-level encryption
• Configure server- and database-level firewall rules
• Implement Always Encrypted
• Configure secure access
• Configure Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Implement compliance controls for sensitive data
• Apply a data classification strategy
• Configure server and database audits
• Implement data change tracking
• Implement dynamic data masking
• Manage database resources by using Azure Purview
• Implement Azure SQL Database ledger
• Implement row-level security
• Configure Microsoft Defender for SQL
Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources (20–25%)
Monitor resource activity and performance
• Prepare an operational performance baseline
• Determine sources for performance metrics
• Interpret performance metrics
• Configure and monitor activity and performance
• Monitor by using SQL Insights
• Monitor by using Extended Events
Monitor and optimize query performance
• Configure Query Store
• Monitor by using Query Store
• Identify sessions that cause blocking
• Identify performance issues using dynamic management views (DMVs)
• Identify and implement index changes for queries
• Recommend query construct modifications based on resource usage
• Assess the use of query hints for query performance
• Review execution plans
10
Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Configure database solutions for optimal performance
• Implement index maintenance tasks
• Implement statistics maintenance tasks
• Implement database integrity checks
• Configure database automatic tuning
• Configure server settings for performance
• Configure Resource Governor for performance
• Implement database-scoped configuration
• Configure compute and storage resources for scaling
• Configure intelligent query processing (IQP)
Configure and manage automation of tasks (15–20%)
Create and manage SQL Server Agent jobs
• Manage schedules for regular maintenance jobs
• Configure job alerts and notifications
• Troubleshoot SQL Server Agent jobs
Automate deployment of database resources
• Automate deployment by using Azure Resource Manager templates (ARM templates) and Bicep
• Automate deployment by using PowerShell
• Automate deployment by using Azure CLI
• Monitor and troubleshoot deployments
Create and manage database tasks in Azure
• Create and configure elastic jobs
• Create and configure database tasks by using automation
• Automate database workflows by using Azure Logic Apps
• Configure alerts and notifications on database tasks
• Troubleshoot automated database tasks
Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR)
environment (20–25%)
Recommend an HA/DR strategy for database solutions
• Recommend HA/DR strategy based on Recovery Point Objective/Recovery Time Objective
(RPO/RTO) requirements
• Evaluate HA/DR for hybrid deployments
• Evaluate Azure-specific HA/DR solutions
• Recommend a testing procedure for an HA/DR solution
11
Exam DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Plan and perform backup and restore of a database
• Recommend a database backup and restore strategy
• Perform a database backup by using database tools
• Perform a database restore by using database tools
• Perform a database restore to a point in time
• Configure long-term backup retention
• Backup and restore a database by using T-SQL
Configure HA/DR for database solutions
• Configure active geo-replication
• Configure an Always On availability group
• Configure auto-failover groups
• Configure quorum options for a Windows Server Failover Cluster
• Configure failover cluster instances on Azure Virtual Machines
• Configure log shipping
• Monitor an HA/DR solution
• Troubleshoot an HA/DR solution
12
