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Question 196 of 851
Design and develop data processing →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Azure Data Factory Incremental Load with Watermark — Design Pattern | Azure Data Engineer Associate Explained

This DP-203 practice question tests your understanding of design and develop data processing. 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.

Exhibit

{
  "name": "CopyDataPipeline",
  "properties": {
    "activities": [
      {
        "name": "CopyData",
        "type": "Copy",
        "inputs": [{"name": "InputDataset"}],
        "outputs": [{"name": "OutputDataset"}],
        "typeProperties": {
          "source": {
            "type": "AzureSqlSource",
            "sqlReaderQuery": "SELECT * FROM Orders WHERE OrderDate > '2024-01-01'"
          },
          "sink": {
            "type": "DelimitedTextSink",
            "storeSettings": {
              "type": "AzureBlobFSWriteSettings",
              "copyBehavior": "PreserveHierarchy"
            }
          },
          "enableStaging": false,
          "translator": {
            "type": "TabularTranslator",
            "columnMappings": {
              "OrderID": "order_id",
              "CustomerID": "customer_id",
              "OrderDate": "order_date"
            }
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Refer to the exhibit. A data engineer wants to copy only new orders from an Azure SQL database to Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. The pipeline runs daily at midnight. What should be added to the pipeline to ensure incremental loads?

Exhibit

{
  "name": "CopyDataPipeline",
  "properties": {
    "activities": [
      {
        "name": "CopyData",
        "type": "Copy",
        "inputs": [{"name": "InputDataset"}],
        "outputs": [{"name": "OutputDataset"}],
        "typeProperties": {
          "source": {
            "type": "AzureSqlSource",
            "sqlReaderQuery": "SELECT * FROM Orders WHERE OrderDate > '2024-01-01'"
          },
          "sink": {
            "type": "DelimitedTextSink",
            "storeSettings": {
              "type": "AzureBlobFSWriteSettings",
              "copyBehavior": "PreserveHierarchy"
            }
          },
          "enableStaging": false,
          "translator": {
            "type": "TabularTranslator",
            "columnMappings": {
              "OrderID": "order_id",
              "CustomerID": "customer_id",
              "OrderDate": "order_date"
            }
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

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 a Lookup activity to get the last run timestamp and modify the query to use it.

The current query uses a static date. For incremental loads, a watermark column like OrderDate with a last run timestamp is needed, typically using a lookup activity or variable.

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.

  • ✗

    Add a filter activity after the copy to remove duplicates.

    Why it's wrong here

    Filtering after copy is inefficient and doesn't reduce data transferred.

  • ✓

    Use a Lookup activity to get the last run timestamp and modify the query to use it.

    Why this is correct

    This enables dynamic filtering of new records.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • ✗

    Enable staging with a staging table.

    Why it's wrong here

    Staging is for large data copies, not incremental logic.

  • ✗

    Change the copy behavior to 'MergeFiles'.

    Why it's wrong here

    MergeFiles is for file merging, not incremental loading.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
  • Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

  • Underline the problem statement mentally.
  • 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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which DP-203 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DP-203 question test?

Design and develop data processing — This question tests Design and develop data processing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Use a Lookup activity to get the last run timestamp and modify the query to use it. — The current query uses a static date. For incremental loads, a watermark column like OrderDate with a last run timestamp is needed, typically using a lookup activity or variable.

What should I do if I get this DP-203 question wrong?

Identify which DP-203 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

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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.