This DP-203 practice question tests your understanding of design and implement data storage. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A data engineer needs to store log data from multiple applications in Azure. The data is append-only, heavily compressed, and queried infrequently. Cost minimization is critical. Which storage solution is best?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Azure Table Storage
Why wrong: Not optimized for large append-only logs.
Azure Cosmos DB with analytical store
Why wrong: High cost for infrequent queries.
Azure Blob Storage with cool or archive access tier
Low cost for infrequent access.
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with hot tier
Why wrong: Hot tier is expensive; cool/archive is cheaper.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Azure Blob Storage with cool or archive access tier
Azure Blob Storage with cool or archive access tier is the best choice because the data is append-only, heavily compressed, and infrequently queried, making cost minimization the top priority. The cool tier offers low storage costs with higher access charges, while the archive tier provides the lowest storage cost for data that is rarely accessed and can tolerate hours of retrieval latency. This aligns perfectly with the append-only, infrequently queried nature of the log data.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure Table Storage
Why it's wrong here
Not optimized for large append-only logs.
Azure Cosmos DB with analytical store
Why it's wrong here
High cost for infrequent queries.
Azure Blob Storage with cool or archive access tier
Why this is correct
Low cost for infrequent access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with hot tier
Why it's wrong here
Hot tier is expensive; cool/archive is cheaper.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Blob Storage's access tiers with Data Lake Storage Gen2's tiers, assuming the hot tier is always the default for log data, but the question's emphasis on 'cost minimization' and 'infrequently queried' explicitly points to cool or archive tiers, not the hot tier.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Azure Blob Storage's cool tier offers a storage cost of ~$0.01/GB/month (compared to hot tier's ~$0.018/GB/month) but charges a read penalty of ~$0.01/10,000 reads, while the archive tier costs ~$0.00099/GB/month but requires a rehydration step (taking up to 15 hours) before data can be read. For append-only log data, the lifecycle management feature can automatically transition blobs from hot to cool to archive based on age, further reducing costs without manual intervention.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Design and implement data storage — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Design and implement data storage practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All DP-203 questions
846 questions across all exam domains
Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate DP-203 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
DP-203 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to Secure, monitor, and optimize data storage and data processing.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to Design and develop data processing.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to Design and implement data security.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to Monitor and optimize data storage and processing.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to Design and implement data storage.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to Develop data processing.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to DP-203 fundamentals.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to DP-203 scenario.
Practise DP-203 questions linked to DP-203 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Design and implement data storage — This question tests Design and implement data storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Azure Blob Storage with cool or archive access tier — Azure Blob Storage with cool or archive access tier is the best choice because the data is append-only, heavily compressed, and infrequently queried, making cost minimization the top priority. The cool tier offers low storage costs with higher access charges, while the archive tier provides the lowest storage cost for data that is rarely accessed and can tolerate hours of retrieval latency. This aligns perfectly with the append-only, infrequently queried nature of the log data.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This DP-203 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 DP-203 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.