The answer is a stored procedure activity in the pipeline, a linked service to Azure SQL Database, and a dataset or inline parameter mapping for the stored procedure’s input parameters. The linked service is the critical prerequisite because it defines the connection string and authentication method—such as SQL authentication or managed identity—that Azure Data Factory (ADF) uses to authenticate and communicate with the database; without it, ADF cannot establish a connection to execute the stored procedure. On the Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate DP-203 exam, this concept tests your understanding of ADF’s dependency chain: the activity triggers execution, the linked service handles connectivity, and parameter mapping passes runtime values. A common trap is assuming a dataset alone suffices, but the linked service is the actual bridge. Remember the mnemonic “LAP” for Linked service, Activity, Parameters—three components you must configure before any stored procedure can run.
DP-203 Develop data processing Practice Question
This DP-203 practice question tests your understanding of develop data processing. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Which THREE are required to run a stored procedure in Azure SQL Database from Azure Data Factory?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A linked service to Azure SQL Database.
A linked service to Azure SQL Database is required because it defines the connection string and authentication method (e.g., SQL authentication or managed identity) that Azure Data Factory (ADF) uses to connect to the database. Without this connection configuration, ADF cannot authenticate or communicate with the database to execute the stored procedure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
A linked service to Azure SQL Database.
Why this is correct
The linked service provides connection details.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
A dataset that references the stored procedure.
Why this is correct
The dataset points to the stored procedure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A self-hosted integration runtime.
Why it's wrong here
Azure IR can connect to Azure SQL Database directly.
✗
A staging blob storage account.
Why it's wrong here
Staging is not needed for stored procedure execution.
✓
A stored procedure activity in the pipeline.
Why this is correct
The activity defines the stored procedure call.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think a dataset is mandatory for any activity, but for stored procedure execution, the dataset is only needed if you want to pass parameters or map output, not for the execution itself.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Stored Procedure activity in ADF uses the linked service's connection string to open a SQL connection via ADO.NET and executes the procedure using the EXEC command. The dataset is optional in the sense that it can be used to pass parameter values or define the output schema, but the activity itself can reference the linked service directly without a dataset. A real-world scenario where this matters is when you need to run a maintenance procedure like sp_cleanup on a schedule; you only need the linked service and the activity, not a dataset.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-203 question in full detail.
Develop data processing — This question tests Develop data processing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A linked service to Azure SQL Database. — A linked service to Azure SQL Database is required because it defines the connection string and authentication method (e.g., SQL authentication or managed identity) that Azure Data Factory (ADF) uses to connect to the database. Without this connection configuration, ADF cannot authenticate or communicate with the database to execute the stored procedure.
What should I do if I get this DP-203 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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