DP-900 Describe core data concepts — Timed 10 Questions

Question 1

A company stores customer names, addresses, and order history. They need to perform complex queries that join customer and order data. Which type of data store is most appropriate for this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Relational database. A relational database (e.g., Azure SQL Database) is most appropriate because the scenario requires joining customer and order data via complex queries. Relational databases enforce a fixed schema with tables, primary keys, and foreign keys, enabling efficient JOIN operations using SQL. This structure ensures data integrity and supports ACID transactions, which are essential for accurate order history and customer records.

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Key-value store

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Document database

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Graph database

Question 2

A retail company captures real-time sensor data from IoT devices to detect anomalies and predict equipment failures. The data must be processed immediately as it arrives. Which type of data processing workload best describes this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Streaming processing. B is correct because streaming processing is designed for continuous, real-time data ingestion and immediate analysis, which matches the requirement to process sensor data as it arrives. Technologies like Azure Stream Analytics or Apache Kafka enable low-latency processing of IoT data streams to detect anomalies and predict failures without batching.

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Batch processing

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Online transaction processing (OLTP)

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Data warehousing

Question 3

Which classification of data describes information that has a fixed schema and is organized into rows and columns, such as data found in a relational database table?

Accepted Answer

Structured data. Structured data is defined by a fixed schema, where each data element adheres to a predefined data type and relationship, organized into rows and columns. This is the fundamental model of a relational database table, such as those in Azure SQL Database or SQL Server, where constraints like primary keys and foreign keys enforce the schema.

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Unstructured data

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Semi-structured data

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Transformed data

Question 4

A logistics company stores shipping waybill data as JSON documents. Each document contains fields like 'shipmentId', 'destination', and 'items', but the number of items and the fields within each item can vary between shipments. Which category best describes this type of data?

Accepted Answer

Semi-structured data. JSON documents with varying fields and nested structures like 'items' that differ between shipments are a classic example of semi-structured data. Unlike structured data with a fixed schema, semi-structured data uses tags or markers (like JSON key-value pairs) to separate data elements, allowing for flexibility in the number and type of fields per record. This aligns with the DP-900 definition of semi-structured data, which includes formats such as JSON, XML, and Parquet.

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Operational data

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Unstructured data

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Structured data

Question 5

A consulting firm collects client information in two forms: a spreadsheet with columns for Name, Address, and Phone Number, and audio recordings of client meetings. Which of the following statements correctly categorizes these data types?

Accepted Answer

The spreadsheet data is structured, and the audio recordings are unstructured.. The spreadsheet data with columns for Name, Address, and Phone Number has a predefined schema (rows and columns), making it structured data. Audio recordings are binary files with no inherent schema or organization, fitting the definition of unstructured data. Option C correctly pairs these classifications.

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Both the spreadsheet data and the audio recordings are examples of structured data.

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The spreadsheet data is structured, and the audio recordings are semi-structured.

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The spreadsheet data is semi-structured, and the audio recordings are unstructured.

Question 6

A company operates an online store that processes customer orders. When a customer places an order, the system must immediately reduce the inventory count for the purchased items and record the order details. At the end of each month, the company runs reports that aggregate sales data over the past month to analyze trends. Which type of data processing workload best describes the order placement activity?

Accepted Answer

Transactional processing. Order placement requires immediate inventory reduction and order recording, which demands ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) guarantees. This is a classic transactional processing workload, typically handled by OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) systems like SQL Server or Azure SQL Database, ensuring data integrity even under concurrent access.

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Analytical processing

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Batch processing

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Stream processing

Question 7

A healthcare provider stores patient admission data in a relational database table with columns for PatientID, Name, and AdmissionDate. Progress notes are stored as free-text documents. Lab results are stored as XML files that contain varying fields depending on the test type. Which of the following correctly categorizes these three data types in order: relational table, progress notes, lab results?

Accepted Answer

Structured, Unstructured, Semi-structured. The relational table with PatientID, Name, and AdmissionDate enforces a fixed schema with defined data types, making it structured data. Progress notes as free-text documents have no predefined structure or schema, classifying them as unstructured data. Lab results in XML files use tags to organize data but allow varying fields per test type, which is the hallmark of semi-structured data. Option A correctly maps these in order: structured, unstructured, semi-structured.

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Structured, Semi-structured, Unstructured

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Semi-structured, Unstructured, Structured

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Unstructured, Structured, Semi-structured

Question 8

A manufacturing company collects sensor data from equipment on the factory floor. The data is generated continuously and must be processed immediately to detect anomalies and trigger alerts. Which type of data processing workload best describes this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Stream processing. B is correct because the scenario requires continuous data ingestion and immediate processing to detect anomalies and trigger alerts, which is the defining characteristic of stream processing. Technologies like Azure Stream Analytics or Apache Kafka are designed to handle unbounded data streams with low-latency processing, unlike batch processing which operates on static datasets at scheduled intervals.

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Batch processing

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Transactional processing

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Analytical processing

Question 9

A company collects customer feedback in three forms: a structured table with customer ID and rating (1-5), free-text comments, and audio recordings of phone calls. Which of the following correctly orders these data from least structured to most structured?

Accepted Answer

Audio recordings, free-text comments, structured table. Option A is correct because data structure ranges from unstructured (audio recordings with no schema), through semi-structured (free-text comments with no fixed format), to structured (a table with defined columns and data types). This ordering aligns with the DP-900 core data concept of data classification based on schema rigidity.

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Structured table, free-text comments, audio recordings

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Free-text comments, structured table, audio recordings

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Audio recordings, structured table, free-text comments

Question 10

A retail company stores customer data in a relational database table with columns for CustomerID, Name, and Email. Product reviews are stored as JSON documents where each document contains review text and a rating. Product images are stored as binary files in Azure Blob Storage. Which of the following correctly categorizes these data types in order: relational table, JSON documents, binary images?

Accepted Answer

Structured, semi-structured, unstructured. A is correct because relational tables enforce a fixed schema (columns with defined data types), making them structured data. JSON documents have a flexible schema (key-value pairs) but still contain metadata, classifying them as semi-structured. Binary image files in Azure Blob Storage have no inherent structure or schema, making them unstructured data. This matches the order: structured, semi-structured, unstructured.

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Semi-structured, structured, unstructured

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Unstructured, semi-structured, structured

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Structured, unstructured, semi-structured