Question

Difficulty: HardAzure Database Services (Relational, Non-Relational, and Cosmos DB)

A company is migrating a financial ledger application to Azure. The application requires a database engine that enforces a strict relational schema, supports ACID-compliant transactions, and allows querying via standard SQL. To minimize administrative overhead, Microsoft must manage the operating system patching, database engine updates, and backups. Which service should the company select to meet these requirements?

  1. Azure SQL DatabaseAnswer
  2. B
    Azure Cosmos DB
  3. C
    SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
  4. D
    Microsoft Dynamics 365

Answer

Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database is the correct service because it is a fully managed Platform as a Service (PaaS) relational database. It supports standard SQL queries, enforces relational schemas, guarantees ACID compliance, and offloads infrastructure management—such as backups, OS patching, and database updates—to Microsoft.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the database model requirements from the scenario.
The application requires a strict relational schema, standard SQL support, and ACID-compliant transactions. This points to a relational database engine.
Relational databases are designed for structured ledger data with fixed schemas and strong transactional guarantees.
2
Analyze the management and operational requirements from the scenario.
The company wants Microsoft to handle OS patching, database updates, and backups, indicating a Platform as a Service (PaaS) model.
PaaS database offerings offload physical and software maintenance to the cloud provider, reducing management overhead.
3
Evaluate the database services based on the model and management criteria.
Azure SQL Database is a PaaS relational database. SQL Server on Azure VMs is IaaS (requires customer OS/engine patching). Azure Cosmos DB is NoSQL (not relational). Dynamics 365 is SaaS (an application suite, not a database platform).
Matching both the relational requirements and the fully managed PaaS model selects the correct service.

Key Concept

Relational database services and management models in Azure
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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