DP-900: Azure Data Fundamentals Practice Exam

What the DP-900 exam covers

• Describe Core Data Concepts160 questions
• Identify Considerations for Relational Data147 questions
• Describe Considerations for Non-Relational Data148 questions
• Describe an Analytics Workload143 questions

Free DP-900 sample questions

A sample of 10 questions with answers and explanations. Sign up free to practice all 598.

1. Question 1Describe Core Data Concepts

   A logistics company tracks millions of package deliveries per day. Each delivery record includes a tracking number, sender address, recipient address, weight, and delivery status. The operations team needs to update delivery statuses in real time as packages move through sorting facilities. Which type of data processing workload best describes this system?

   • AOnline Transaction Processing (OLTP)Correct
   • BBatch processing
   • COnline Analytical Processing (OLAP)
   • DData warehousing
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   OLTP systems are specifically designed to handle frequent, short-duration transactions where individual records are inserted, updated, or retrieved in real time. The logistics company needs to update package statuses as they change at sorting facilities, which is a classic example of real-time transactional workload. OLTP systems prioritize write and update performance, maintain referential integrity, and ensure data consistency for concurrent users, making them ideal for this delivery tracking scenario.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BBatch processing is incorrect because it handles large volumes of data in scheduled groups, not in real-time updates as packages move through facilities.
   • COnline Analytical Processing (OLAP) is incorrect because it is optimized for complex aggregate queries and historical analysis, not for frequent updates to individual delivery records.
   • DData warehousing is incorrect because it consolidates data for analytical reporting, not for real-time operational updates.
2. Question 2Describe Core Data Concepts

   A multinational corporation stores employee data across multiple regional databases. The company wants to implement a system that ensures if a salary update fails in the accounting system, the corresponding update in the HR system is also rolled back. Which property of a database transaction does this describe?

   • AAtomicityCorrect
   • BConsistency
   • CIsolation
   • DDurability
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   Atomicity is the ACID property guaranteeing that all operations in a transaction either complete together or are entirely rolled back, with no partial results. If the salary update fails in the accounting system, atomicity ensures the related HR update is undone so the two stay all-or-nothing. The described coordinated rollback on failure is precisely atomic behavior.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BConsistency ensures a transaction moves the database from one valid state to another by honoring rules and constraints, rather than coordinating all-or-nothing rollback.
   • CIsolation governs how concurrent transactions are shielded from each other's intermediate state, not whether a failed step rolls back its companion.
   • DDurability guarantees that once committed, changes survive crashes, which concerns persistence after success rather than rollback on failure.
3. Question 3Describe Core Data ConceptsSelect all that apply

   Which TWO of the following are examples of semi-structured data formats? (Choose two.)

   • AJSON documentsCorrect
   • BXML documentsCorrect
   • CRelational database tables
   • DJPEG image files
   ✓ Correct answer: A, B

   JSON and XML are both semi-structured data formats that provide organizational structure through markup and key-value pairs while allowing flexibility in the fields present. JSON documents use nested key-value structures and arrays, allowing different records to have different properties while maintaining readability and parsing capability. XML documents use tags and hierarchical structure to organize data, also permitting variable fields across documents. Both formats are self-describing, meaning the structure is evident from the content itself, making them ideal for flexible data interchange between systems.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • CRelational database tables is incorrect because relational databases with fixed schemas represent fully structured data, not semi-structured.
   • DJPEG image files is incorrect because image files are binary unstructured data with no meaningful tag or key-value structure.
4. Question 4Describe Core Data ConceptsSelect all that apply

   Which two are characteristics of semi-structured data? (Choose two.)

   • AIt is always stored in relational database tables
   • BIt has a flexible schema that can vary between recordsCorrect
   • CIt uses tags or markers to identify data elements (like JSON or XML)Correct
   • DIt cannot be queried using any query language
   ✓ Correct answer: B, C

   Semi-structured data carries organizational markers such as JSON keys or XML tags that identify each element, yet it does not require a fixed, uniform schema, so different records may contain different fields. This blend of self-describing structure with schema flexibility is what distinguishes it from rigid relational tables and from formless unstructured data. Both selected options capture these defining traits.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AStoring in relational database tables describes structured data with a fixed schema, which contradicts the flexible nature of semi-structured data.
   • DBeing unqueryable by any query language is false, since formats like JSON and XML can be queried with tools such as JSONPath, XQuery, or SQL extensions.
5. Question 5Identify Considerations for Relational Data

   What is the process of organizing a relational database to reduce data redundancy and improve data integrity called?

   • AormalizationCorrect
   • BArtitioning
   • Ceplication
   • DIndexing
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   Normalization is the process of structuring a relational database into well-defined tables and relationships so each piece of data is stored only once. By removing duplication it reduces redundancy and improves integrity, since updates happen in a single place. Organizing the schema to cut redundancy and strengthen integrity defines normalization.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BPartitioning splits a large table's data across segments for manageability and performance, not to reduce logical redundancy.
   • CReplication copies data to additional servers for availability or scale, which actually adds copies rather than removing redundancy.
   • DIndexing builds lookup structures to speed queries and does not reorganize tables to eliminate duplicate data.
6. Question 6Describe Considerations for Non-Relational Data

   Wide World Importers uses Azure Cosmos DB and needs to distribute their data across multiple partitions for scalability. Which property must they define to control how data is distributed across physical partitions?

   • APartition keyCorrect
   • BForeign key
   • CSort key
   • DPrimary key
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   A partition key is a critical component in Azure Cosmos DB that determines how data is logically and physically distributed across multiple partitions. When you define a partition key, Cosmos DB uses it to hash the key values and distribute documents across different physical partitions, enabling horizontal scalability and improved query performance. Choosing an appropriate partition key with good cardinality ensures even data distribution and prevents hot partitions that could bottleneck performance.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BForeign key is incorrect because it is a relational database concept used to enforce referential integrity between tables, not applicable to NoSQL databases like Cosmos DB.
   • CSort key is incorrect because it is used in DynamoDB and similar services to define the order of items within a partition, not to control data distribution across partitions.
   • DPrimary key is incorrect because while it uniquely identifies a document in Cosmos DB, it does not control how data is distributed across physical partitions; the partition key serves that purpose.
7. Question 7Describe an Analytics Workload

   Which Azure service is a fully managed cloud service that makes it easy to deploy and manage open-source analytics frameworks such as Apache Hadoop, Spark, Hive, and Kafka?

   • AAzure HDInsightCorrect
   • BAzure Databricks
   • CAzure Synapse Analytics
   • DAzure Data Factory
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   Azure HDInsight is a fully managed cloud service that provisions and manages Apache Hadoop, Spark, Hive, HBase, Kafka, and other open-source big data frameworks. It abstracts the complexity of deploying, configuring, and maintaining distributed clusters, allowing organizations to focus on analytics rather than infrastructure. HDInsight integrates with Azure storage and other Azure services, providing an on-demand, pay-as-you-go model for running big data workloads with automatic scaling and cluster management capabilities.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BAzure Databricks is incorrect because while it is built on Apache Spark, it does not provide managed deployments of Hadoop, Hive, or Kafka, focusing instead on collaborative analytics and machine learning.
   • CAzure Synapse Analytics is incorrect because while it includes Spark pool capabilities, Synapse is an integrated analytics platform, not a framework deployment service for the breadth of Hadoop ecosystem tools.
   • DAzure Data Factory is incorrect because it is a data orchestration and integration service, not a framework deployment platform.
8. Question 8Describe an Analytics WorkloadSelect all that apply

   Which two are examples of data visualization elements in Power BI? (Choose two.)

   • ABar charts and line graphsCorrect
   • BDatabase indexes
   • CMaps and geographic visualizationsCorrect
   • DSQL stored procedures
   ✓ Correct answer: A, C

   Power BI provides a comprehensive set of visualization options designed to represent data in meaningful ways. Bar charts and line graphs are fundamental visualization types used extensively in business analytics to compare values across categories or show trends over time. Maps and geographic visualizations allow users to display data spatially, showing how metrics vary across different regions or locations, which is valuable for geographic analysis and regional performance tracking. Both are native visualization types built into Power BI's visualization library.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BDatabase indexes are incorrect because they are database structures used for query optimization, not visualization elements.
   • DSQL stored procedures are incorrect because they are database objects that execute predefined SQL logic, not visual components used to display data in Power BI.
9. Question 9Describe Considerations for Non-Relational Data

   A team is planning Considerations procedures for Describe Considerations for Non-Relational Data. What should they prioritize?

   • AImplement role-based access control with least privilegeCorrect
   • BGrant full administrator access to all team members
   • CUse a single shared service account for the entire team
   • DDisable access controls for faster day-to-day workflows
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   When planning procedures for non-relational data systems, implementing role-based access control with least privilege should be a priority. RBAC allows you to structure permissions around job roles, such as data scientist, data engineer, and analyst, each with access only to the specific non-relational data and operations they need. The least privilege principle ensures that compromised accounts have limited scope for damage and reduces the risk of unauthorized data access. This approach also simplifies compliance auditing by providing clear documentation of who has access to what data and why. Non-relational systems often contain sensitive unstructured data, making granular access control especially important.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BGrant full administrator access to all team members is incorrect because this violates security principles by giving everyone access to all data and operations regardless of their actual job responsibilities.
   • CUse a single shared service account for the entire team is incorrect because shared accounts eliminate individual accountability, prevent credential revocation, and make it impossible to audit who accessed what data.
   • DDisable access controls for faster day-to-day workflows is incorrect because removing access controls exposes data to unauthorized access and is incompatible with security and compliance requirements.
10. Question 10Identify Considerations for Relational DataSelect all that apply

    A consultant is reviewing the Azure SQL serverless configuration at Tailwind Traders. Which two actions should be performed to optimize the implementation? (Choose two.)

    • AAzure Database for PostgreSQL
    • BDisable Azure SQL serverless monitoring
    • Cprimary keys
    • Dread replicasCorrect
    • Eforeign keysCorrect
    ✓ Correct answer: D, E

    To optimize Azure SQL serverless configuration at Tailwind Traders, these two actions enhance performance and reliability. Read replicas distribute query loads across multiple instances, reducing strain on the primary serverless instance and improving query responsiveness for read-heavy workloads. Foreign keys enforce referential integrity and create indexed lookup paths that serverless query optimization can leverage, ensuring data consistency and enabling efficient join operations in the serverless environment.

    Why the other options are wrong

    • AAzure Database for PostgreSQL is incorrect because PostgreSQL is a different database engine than Azure SQL (SQL Server-based). Optimizing Azure SQL serverless does not involve PostgreSQL configuration unless migrating to a different platform entirely.
    • BDisable Azure SQL serverless monitoring is incorrect because monitoring is essential to understand serverless performance characteristics, track auto-scaling behavior, and identify optimization opportunities. Disabling monitoring prevents visibility into how well the serverless deployment is performing.
    • CPrimary keys is incorrect because while primary keys are important relational features, they are not optimization actions. Primary keys should already be part of the schema design; the question asks for optimization improvements to an existing configuration.

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