• Administer Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure VMs.
• Plan and deploy Azure SQL database solutions based on workload requirements.
• Configure resources for scale, performance, and database optimization.
• Plan and implement database migrations between on-premises and Azure SQL services.
• Configure Microsoft Entra authentication, authorization, permissions, and least-privilege access.
• Implement encryption, firewall rules, Private Link, auditing, masking, and row-level security.
• Monitor database activity and performance using Query Store, DMVs, Extended Events, and database monitoring tools.
• Optimize indexes, statistics, queries, compute, storage, and database configurations.
• Automate database administration using SQL Server Agent, Azure CLI, PowerShell, ARM, Bicep, and elastic jobs.
• Design backup, restore, high availability, and disaster recovery strategies based on RPO/RTO requirements.
• Prepare for the DP-300 Azure Database Administrator Associate certification exam.

Learning Path 1: Plan and Implement Data Platform Resources

Plan and Deploy Azure SQL Solutions

• Select the appropriate Azure SQL database offering
• Azure SQL Database
• Azure SQL Managed Instance
• SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
• Azure Arc-enabled SQL services
• Azure SQL Database in Microsoft Fabric
• Automated deployment methods
• Table partitioning
• Database sharding
• Hybrid SQL Server solutions
• Patching and updating SQL deployments

Configure Resources for Scale and Performance

• Azure SQL Database scaling
• Azure SQL Managed Instance scaling
• SQL Server on Azure VM scaling
• Compute and storage configuration
• Table partitioning
• Data compression
• Performance-oriented resource configuration

Plan and Implement a Migration Strategy

• Assess migration requirements
• Offline versus online migration
• Migrating databases to Azure
• Migrating between Azure SQL services
• Azure SQL Managed Instance database copy and move
• Migration troubleshooting

Learning Path 2: Implement a Secure Environment for a Database Service

Configure Database Authentication and Authorization

• Microsoft Entra ID authentication
• SQL authentication
• Authentication for Azure SQL Database
• Authentication for Azure SQL Managed Instance
• Authentication for SQL Server on Azure VMs
• Security principals
• Microsoft Entra users
• Database and object-level permissions
• Least-privilege access
• T-SQL security administration
• Authentication and authorization troubleshooting

Implement Security for Data at Rest and Data in Transit

• Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
• Object-level encryption
• Server and database firewall rules
• Always Encrypted
• Always Encrypted with VBS enclaves
• Private Link
• Service endpoints

Implement Compliance Controls for Sensitive Data

• Data classification
• Server and database auditing
• Change Data Tracking
• Dynamic Data Masking
• Azure SQL Ledger
• Row-Level Security

Learning Path 3: Monitor and Optimize Operational Resources in Azure SQL

Monitor Resource Activity and Performance

• Establish performance baselines
• Identify performance metrics
• Monitor database activity
• Monitor database performance
• Database watcher
• Extended Events

Monitor and Optimize Query Performance

• Query Store
• Query performance monitoring
• Session blocking
• Dynamic Management Views (DMVs)
• Index optimization
• Query construct optimization
• Execution plans
• Intelligent Insights

Configure Database Solutions for Optimal Performance

• Index maintenance
• Statistics maintenance
• Database integrity checks
• Automatic tuning
• Server performance settings
• Resource Governor
• Database-scoped configurations
• Compute and storage scaling
• Intelligent Query Processing

Learning Path 4: Optimize Query Performance in Azure SQL

• Query performance analysis
• Query Store
• Execution plans
• Index and statistics management
• Query optimization
• Identifying blocking and resource bottlenecks
• Performance troubleshooting

Learning Path 5: Automate Database Tasks for Azure SQL

Create and Manage SQL Server Agent Jobs

• SQL Server Agent
• Job schedules
• Maintenance jobs
• Job alerts
• Notifications
• Job troubleshooting

Automate Deployment of Database Resources

• Azure Resource Manager templates
• Bicep
• Azure PowerShell
• Azure CLI
• Automated database deployments
• Deployment monitoring
• Deployment troubleshooting

Create and Manage Database Tasks in Azure

• Elastic jobs
• Automated database tasks
• Alerts and notifications
• Automation troubleshooting

Learning Path 6: Plan and Implement a High Availability and Disaster Recovery Environment

Plan an HA/DR Strategy

• High availability and disaster recovery concepts
• Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
• Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
• Hybrid HA/DR
• Azure-specific HA/DR solutions
• HA/DR testing

Plan and Perform Database Backup and Restore

• Backup strategies
• Native backup and restore tools
• Point-in-time restore
• Long-term retention
• T-SQL backup and restore
• Cloud storage backup and restore

Configure HA/DR for Database Solutions

• Active geo-replication
• Always On availability groups
• Failover groups
• Always On Failover Cluster Instances
• Log shipping
• HA/DR monitoring
• HA/DR troubleshooting

4 Days

• Deploying Azure SQL database resources
• Configuring Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance
• Managing SQL Server on Azure VMs
• Configuring database authentication and authorization
• Implementing Microsoft Entra authentication
• Configuring firewall rules and Private Link
• Implementing encryption and data protection
• Configuring auditing, masking, and row-level security
• Monitoring database activity and performance
• Using Query Store and execution plans
• Troubleshooting blocking and query performance
• Configuring indexes and statistics
• Creating SQL Server Agent jobs
• Automating deployments with Azure CLI, PowerShell, ARM, and Bicep
• Performing backup and restore operations
• Configuring high availability and disaster recovery solutions
• Testing failover and monitoring HA/DR configurations

Certification: Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate
Exam: DP-300: Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions
Duration: 100 minutes

• Azure Database Administrators
• SQL Server Database Administrators
• Database Engineers
• Data Professionals
• Data Architects
• SQL Developers
• Cloud Database Administrators
• Azure Professionals
• Application Developers working with SQL databases
• Professionals preparing for the DP-300 certification

• Experience working with relational databases.
• Knowledge of SQL Server and SQL database administration.
• Familiarity with Transact-SQL (T-SQL).
• Understanding of Azure SQL Database.
• Familiarity with Azure SQL Managed Instance.
• Understanding of SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.
• Knowledge of SQL Server administration concepts.