DP-203 Practice Question: Secure, monitor, and optimize data storage and data processing
You are optimizing an Azure Synapse Analytics dedicated SQL pool. A frequent query scans a large fact table and filters on a date column. You notice that the query uses a full table scan. What is the most effective way to improve query performance?
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
✓
Partition the table on the date column.
Partitioning the table on the date column enables partition elimination, which allows the query to scan only the relevant partitions instead of the entire table. Option A is incorrect because a nonclustered index on the date column can help with point lookups but is less effective for large scans and filtering on a range of dates. Option B is incorrect because a clustered columnstore index improves compression and scan performance but does not provide partition elimination for date filtering. Option C is incorrect because round-robin distribution distributes data evenly but does not optimize for filtering on a specific column.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a nonclustered index on the date column.
Why it's wrong here
Helps but less effective than partitioning for large scans.
- ✗
Create a clustered columnstore index on the table.
Why it's wrong here
Improves scan performance but not partition elimination.
- ✗
Change the distribution to round-robin.
Why it's wrong here
Does not help with filtering on date.
- ✓
Partition the table on the date column.
Why this is correct
Enables partition pruning, reducing data scanned.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.