DP-203 Design and implement data storage Practice Question
Which THREE considerations are important when designing a table distribution strategy for an Azure Synapse Analytics dedicated SQL pool? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse round-robin distribution as a good choice for large fact tables because it distributes data evenly, but they overlook the severe performance penalty from data movement during joins and aggregations.
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
✓
Align distribution keys on tables that are frequently joined together
Aligning distribution keys on tables that are frequently joined together ensures that the join columns are hash-distributed on the same key, enabling collocated joins. This avoids data movement across distributions during query execution, which significantly improves performance in Azure Synapse Analytics dedicated SQL pools.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Align distribution keys on tables that are frequently joined together
Why this is correct
Aligning distribution keys on tables that are frequently joined together ensures that the join columns are hash-distributed on the same key, enabling collocated joins. This avoids data movement across distributions during query execution, which significantly improves performance.
- ✓
Minimize data skew by choosing a distribution key with many unique values
Why this is correct
Minimizing data skew by choosing a distribution key with many unique values helps ensure that data is evenly distributed across all distributions, preventing performance bottlenecks caused by one distribution handling a disproportionate amount of data.
- ✗
Use round-robin distribution for large fact tables to distribute data evenly
Why it's wrong here
C is wrong because round-robin causes data movement in joins.
- ✗
Use replicated tables for large tables to avoid data movement
Why it's wrong here
D is wrong because replication is for small dimension tables.
- ✓
Consider the size of the table and the frequency of joins
Why this is correct
E is correct because table size and join patterns influence the best distribution strategy.
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