What begins the data retention period for tables in a secondary database?

• A. When the secondary database is refreshed with DML from the primary
• B. When the secondary is created
• C. After a fixed 30 days
• D. Immediately after copy

Answer: (A)

Retention for tables in a secondary database starts when the secondary is refreshed with DML from the primary. This is because the retention window applies to the data that is brought in and kept in sync, and that data only truly exists and is eligible for retention once the first DML changes are applied during a refresh. Creating the secondary or performing an initial copy brings in data, but the retention clock doesn’t begin until the DML refresh brings in the live changes from the primary. A fixed 30-day window isn’t how this is determined, and starting immediately after a copy would not reflect the ongoing replication of changes handled by the refresh process.