DA0-002 Data Acquisition and Preparation Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are common methods for acquiring data from external sources?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse data warehousing (a storage/management process) with data acquisition methods, or think manual data entry is a valid external acquisition method, when the exam specifically tests automated, programmatic techniques for pulling data from outside the organization.
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
✓
Public APIs
Public APIs (C) are a standard method for acquiring external data, since they expose structured endpoints (typically REST/HTTP or GraphQL) that applications can query programmatically to pull data from third-party services. Web scraping (D) is also a common external data acquisition method, using tools such as HTTP clients and HTML parsers to extract data from public web pages when no API is available. Both are specifically designed to bring in data from outside sources, which matches the scenario. Data warehousing (A) is a storage and analytics architecture, not an acquisition method. Manual data entry (B) is a way to input data, usually from internal or human sources, not a typical external acquisition technique. Direct database connection to an internal server (E) targets internal systems, so it is not an external data source method.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Data warehousing
Why it's wrong here
Data warehousing is a storage and consolidation destination for data already acquired, not an acquisition method. It is tempting because warehouses sit at the centre of analytics architectures, and would be correct if the question asked where acquired data is stored rather than how external data is obtained.
- ✗
Manual data entry
Why it's wrong here
Manual data entry captures data generated internally by staff, not data acquired from external sources. It is tempting because it is a genuine data collection technique, and would be correct for small volumes of internally produced records rather than external feeds.
- ✓
Public APIs
Why this is correct
Public APIs expose structured endpoints that return JSON or XML over HTTP, letting scripts pull external data directly without manual exports. This satisfies the stem's requirement for acquiring data from external sources, since the API provider hosts the data and your tooling retrieves it programmatically on demand.
- ✓
Web scraping
Why this is correct
Web scraping extracts data from external websites by parsing their HTML, acquiring information not offered through a formal API. It satisfies the stem's external-source acquisition requirement, though it demands attention to site terms and structural changes.
- ✗
Direct database connection to an internal server
Why it's wrong here
A direct database connection to an internal server is an internal acquisition route, not an external source. It is tempting because database connections are a standard extraction method, and would be correct if the question concerned internal operational systems rather than external data.
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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.