🔬 Advanced DP-300 Labs
Production-ready, hands-on labs that go beyond the official DP-300 curriculum. Each lab deploys real Azure infrastructure, includes Bicep/PowerShell automation, and teaches skills used in actual customer engagements.
🏢 Real-World DBA Note
These labs were built from real Microsoft DCSA customer scenarios. They cover the kind of work you'll do as an Azure Database Administrator, not just exam prep.
Lab Roadmap by DP-300 Domain
How to read this roadmap: each color = one DP-300 exam domain. Arrows show recommended ordering — finish prerequisite labs before progressing. Start with SQL DB Tiers (foundation) and Security Assessment (quick win), then branch into the domain that interests you most.
Lab Catalog
Pick a lab — every page follows the same shape: Architecture diagram → What gets deployed → Numbered steps → Verify → Clean up.
AlwaysOn HA Setup2-node SQL 2022 AG · WSFC · ILB listener · automatic failover.Cross-Region AlwaysOnAsync-commit DR replica in a 2nd region · forced failover · RPO.SQL MI Flavors & ReplicasGP + BC side-by-side · read replicas · cross-region MI FOG.SQL Security Assessment57-check audit · scored HTML report · works on any SQL platform.SQL Migration (Basic)On-prem → Azure SQL VM via backup → blob → restore.Azure SQL DB TiersEvery tier: DTU · vCore · Hyperscale · Serverless · Elastic Pool.Migration ScenariosAll 6 paths: backup/restore · BACPAC · DMS · MI Link · LRS · repl.Geo-Replication & FOGActive geo-replication + auto-failover group · measure RPO/RTO.Performance TroubleshootingReproduce real perf problems · Query Store · DMVs · wait stats.
Lab Structure
Every lab follows the same pattern:
| Section | What You'll Find |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Mermaid diagram + component table showing what gets deployed |
| Prerequisites | Azure subscription, tools, permissions needed |
| Deploy | Bicep template or PowerShell script — one command to set up the environment |
| Steps | Numbered, hands-on steps with commands and expected output |
| Verify | Validation commands to confirm each step worked |
| Clean Up | Delete the resource group to avoid ongoing costs |
Quick Reference
| Lab | DP-300 Domain | Resources Deployed | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlwaysOn HA Setup | Domain 5: HA/DR | 3 VMs, ILB, VNET, NSG, AD DS | ~2 hrs | ~$3/hr (3× D2ads_v6) |
| Cross-Region AlwaysOn | Domain 5: HA/DR | +1 DR VM, VNET peering (extends above) | ~1 hr | ~$1/hr extra |
| SQL MI Flavors & Replicas | Domain 1 + 5 | 3 MIs (GP, BC, DR), VNETs, FOG | ~6 hrs deploy | ~$40/day (3 MIs) |
| SQL Security Assessment | Domain 2: Security | 1 Azure SQL DB (or existing server) | ~30 min | ~$0.50 (S0 tier) |
| SQL Migration Lab | Domain 1: Plan & Implement | 2 VMs, Storage Account | ~1 hr | ~$2/hr (2× D2ads_v7) |
| Azure SQL DB Tiers | Domain 1 + 3 | 7 DBs (Basic→HS), Elastic Pool | ~30 min | ~$5/hr (all tiers) |
| Migration Scenarios | Domain 1: Plan & Implement | Source VM + 3 targets (VM, DB, MI) | ~4 hrs | ~$5/hr |
| Geo-Replication & Failover | Domain 5: HA/DR | 2 Azure SQL Servers (2 regions) | ~45 min | ~$0.60/hr (2× S1) |
| Performance Troubleshooting | Domain 3: Monitor & Optimize | 1 Azure SQL DB + workload scripts | ~1 hr | ~$0.50 (S2 tier) |
Prerequisites (All Labs)
- Azure subscription with permissions to create resource groups and VMs
- Azure CLI installed and logged in (
az login) - PowerShell 5.1+ or 7+ (all scripts are PowerShell)
- VS Code with the SQL Server (mssql) extension
# Verify prerequisites
az --version # Azure CLI 2.50+
$PSVersionTable # PowerShell 5.1+ or 7+
az account show # Logged in
Exam Mapping
| Lab | Exam Skills Measured |
|---|---|
| AlwaysOn HA | Configure AG, WSFC, quorum, ILB listener, automatic failover |
| Cross-Region AlwaysOn | Multi-subnet AG, async commit, VNET peering, forced failover, RPO measurement |
| SQL MI Flavors | Deploy GP/BC tiers, read replicas, MI failover groups, tier comparison |
| Security Assessment | Evaluate security posture, TDE, auditing, sensitive data discovery |
| Migration (Basic) | Backup to URL, restore from blob, validate migration, IaaS Agent extension |
| SQL DB Tiers | DTU vs vCore, GP/BC/Hyperscale, Serverless, Elastic Pool, benchmarking |
| Migration Scenarios | BACPAC, DMS Online, MI Link, LRS, transactional replication, comparison |
| Geo-Replication | Configure geo-replication, failover groups, measure RPO/RTO |
| Performance | Query Store, DMVs, wait stats, execution plans, index tuning |