DP-203 Design and implement data storage Practice Question
Which TWO Azure services can be used to implement a data lake architecture for storing structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse Azure Synapse Analytics as a storage service for data lakes, when in fact it is a query and analytics engine that relies on ADLS Gen2 or other storage for the underlying data.
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
✓
Azure Blob Storage with hierarchical namespace
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS Gen2) is built on top of Azure Blob Storage and adds a hierarchical namespace, enabling a true data lake architecture. It supports storing structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data at scale, with POSIX-like access control lists and directory-level operations. Azure Blob Storage with hierarchical namespace enabled is essentially the same service as ADLS Gen2, providing the same data lake capabilities.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Azure Blob Storage with hierarchical namespace
Why this is correct
Can function as a data lake.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database
Why it's wrong here
Relational database, not a data lake.
- ✗
Azure Synapse Analytics
Why it's wrong here
Analytics service, not storage.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB
Why it's wrong here
NoSQL database, not a data lake.
- ✓
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
Why this is correct
Purpose-built data lake storage.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
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