DP-300 study guide · 2026

The 5 DP-300 domains, explained

5 domains and 15 official functional groups. Implement a secure environment carries the most weight at 20–25%. Each guide explains what the domain covers, how its questions are framed and where candidates lose marks.

Start with Domain 2 See all domains
Questions
Not published
Time
100 minutes
Passing score
700 / 1000
Outline
DP-300 study guide, skills measured as of October 27, 2026 (current)

Exam blueprint

Bar widths follow the official weights, scaled to fit the bar. Weight ranges are drawn at their midpoint.

  1. 1 15–20%
  2. 2 20–25%
  3. 3 20–25%
  4. 4 15–20%
  5. 5 20–25%
  1. 1 Plan and implement data platform resources
  2. 2 Implement a secure environment
  3. 3 Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
  4. 4 Configure and manage automation of tasks
  5. 5 Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment

All 5 domains

15 official functional groups 58–77 hrs suggested study

  1. Domain 01 15–20%

    Plan and implement data platform resources

    Choosing between Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL Server on Azure VMs, Arc-enabled SQL Server and SQL database in Fabric, sizing them for performance, and moving existing databases with the right migration method.

    Inside this domain

    • Plan and deploy Azure SQL solutions
    • Configure resources for scale and performance
    • Plan and implement a migration strategy

    Watch for Arc as a migration tool

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    ~9
    Study time est.
    12–16 hrs
  2. Domain 02 20–25%

    Implement a secure environment

    Securing Azure SQL from sign-in to stored data: Microsoft Entra and SQL authentication, permissions and least privilege, encryption at rest and in transit, network access controls, and compliance features such as auditing, masking, ledger and row-level security.

    Inside this domain

    • Configure database authentication and authorization
    • Implement security for data at rest and data in transit
    • Implement compliance controls for sensitive data

    Watch for Masking as protection

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    ~11
    Study time est.
    12–16 hrs
  3. Domain 03 20–25%

    Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources

    Finding and fixing performance problems in Azure SQL: building baselines, reading metrics, using database watcher, Extended Events, Query Store and DMVs, resolving blocking, maintaining indexes and statistics, and configuring automatic tuning and server settings.

    Inside this domain

    • Monitor resource activity and performance
    • Monitor and optimize query performance
    • Configure database solutions for optimal performance

    Watch for Scale first

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    ~11
    Study time est.
    14–18 hrs
  4. Domain 04 15–20%

    Configure and manage automation of tasks

    Automating routine database work in Azure SQL: scheduling and troubleshooting SQL Server Agent jobs, deploying resources with ARM, Bicep, PowerShell and the Azure CLI, and running elastic jobs and alert-driven tasks where Agent is not available.

    Inside this domain

    • Create and manage SQL Server Agent jobs
    • Automate deployment of database resources
    • Create and manage database tasks in Azure

    Watch for Agent everywhere

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    ~9
    Study time est.
    8–11 hrs
  5. Domain 05 20–25%

    Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment

    Keeping Azure SQL data available and recoverable: matching HA/DR designs to RPO and RTO, testing them, backing up and restoring with native tools and cloud storage, and configuring geo-replication, failover groups, availability groups, failover cluster instances and log shipping.

    Inside this domain

    • Plan an HA/DR strategy for database solutions
    • Plan and perform backup and restore of a database
    • Configure HA/DR for database solutions

    Watch for Geo-replication on MI

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    ~11
    Study time est.
    12–16 hrs

Study the heaviest domains first

Marks follow weight. This order puts the most marks behind you first, across about 58–77 hrs of study.

  1. 2 Implement a secure environment 20–25% · 12–16 hrs
  2. 3 Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources 20–25% · 14–18 hrs
  3. 5 Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment 20–25% · 12–16 hrs
  4. 1 Plan and implement data platform resources 15–20% · 12–16 hrs
  5. 4 Configure and manage automation of tasks 15–20% · 8–11 hrs

Try one

Practice questionDomain 2: Implement a secure environment

Sales representatives query an Azure SQL Database table through a reporting tool using their Microsoft Entra accounts. Each representative must see only orders for their assigned region, and any attempt to insert an order for another region must fail. What should you implement?

One trap from every domain

The answer that looks right, and the clue that gives it away.

  • Domain 1

    Arc as a migration tool

    Clue The goal is governance or licensing, not relocating data.

  • Domain 2

    Masking as protection

    Clue The people to block hold elevated rights.

  • Domain 3

    Scale first

    Clue Problem started right after a release or statistics change.

  • Domain 4

    Agent everywhere

    Clue The platform is Azure SQL Database or an elastic pool.

  • Domain 5

    Geo-replication on MI

    Clue The platform is Managed Instance.

Other Data & Analytics certifications

Study guides for exams that overlap with DP-300.

Practise what you read

DP-300 domains: common questions

How many domains are in the DP-300 exam?

DP-300 has 5 domains with 15 official functional groups between them: Plan and implement data platform resources, Implement a secure environment, Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources, Configure and manage automation of tasks and Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment.

Which DP-300 domain carries the most weight?

Implement a secure environment is the heaviest at 20–25%, followed by Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources (20–25%). The lightest is Configure and manage automation of tasks (15–20%). Weights come from Microsoft's official outline.

What is the DP-300 exam format?

Questions: Not published. Time allowed: 100 minutes. Passing score: 700 / 1000.

How long should I study for DP-300?

Our planning estimate is 58–77 hrs across all domains, split by weight. It is an editorial estimate, not an official figure, so adjust it to your experience and to how you score on practice questions.

Where should I start?

Start with Implement a secure environment, because it carries the most marks, then work down by weight. Use the checklist on each domain page to confirm you can do what the domain asks before moving on.

Which outline is this guide based on?

This guide follows DP-300 study guide, skills measured as of October 27, 2026 (current), published by Microsoft. It was last reviewed in October 2026.

Domain names, weights and functional groups come from Microsoft's official outline (DP-300 study guide, skills measured as of October 27, 2026 (current)). Question counts and study hours are editorial planning estimates, not official figures. Last reviewed October 2026.