DA0-002 Data Acquisition and Preparation Practice Question
A data engineer needs to acquire data from a legacy mainframe system that does not support modern APIs or direct database connectivity. Which approach is most feasible?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume a database gateway (Option B) is always the best integration approach, but the question explicitly denies direct database connectivity, making FTP the only practical option that leverages existing mainframe capabilities without major infrastructure changes.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use FTP to transfer flat files
FTP (File Transfer Protocol, RFC 959) is a widely supported, low-overhead method for transferring flat files (e.g., CSV, EBCDIC-encoded text) from legacy mainframe systems that lack modern APIs or direct database connectivity. Mainframes like IBM z/OS natively support FTP, allowing the data engineer to schedule periodic file exports without requiring system modernization or complex middleware.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Re-platform the mainframe to a modern system
Why it's wrong here
Re-platforming replaces the mainframe itself, a large migration project, rather than acquiring its data. It suits strategic modernisation where the legacy platform is being retired, not a one-off extraction from a system that must keep running.
- ✗
Use a database gateway
Why it's wrong here
A database gateway translates between protocols but still requires a network-reachable database interface, which the mainframe lacks here. It is tempting because gateways genuinely solve heterogeneous SQL access, and it would be correct if the mainframe exposed a database protocol the gateway could convert.
- ✓
Use FTP to transfer flat files
Why this is correct
FTP moves flat-file extracts from the mainframe, requiring only basic network file transfer rather than APIs or database drivers. The legacy system's lack of modern interfaces and direct connectivity makes this the feasible extraction route, with files parsed downstream.
- ✗
Manual data entry
Why it's wrong here
Manual data entry cannot scale to mainframe volumes and introduces transcription errors, so it fails the acquisition requirement. It is tempting because it needs no connectivity, and it would be the correct choice only for one-off entry of a handful of records where no automated extraction path exists.
About these practice questions
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DA0-002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DA0-002 exam.