- A
Increase the memory and CPU resources on the self-hosted integration runtime machine and check network stability.
The self-hosted IR needs sufficient resources for large data transfers; 'Connection closed' often indicates resource exhaustion or network interruptions.
- B
Increase the 'connection timeout' setting in the linked service to 30 minutes.
Why wrong: This addresses only idle connections, not active transfer failures due to resource limitations.
- C
Change the copy activity to use staged copy with Azure Blob Storage as an intermediate store.
Why wrong: Staging can help with specific scenarios, but it adds latency and does not address the root cause of connection drops.
- D
Disable fault tolerance in the copy activity to improve performance.
Why wrong: Disabling fault tolerance would cause the entire run to fail on any error, making the problem worse.
Quick Answer
The correct first step is to increase the memory and CPU resources on the self-hosted integration runtime machine and check network stability. This is because a 'Connection closed' error during large data transfers—such as a 50 GB per run pipeline—typically indicates that the self-hosted IR machine is overwhelmed, running out of memory, or experiencing network instability, causing the active data stream to drop. On the Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate DP-203 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of self-hosted IR resource constraints under heavy load, a common trap where candidates might jump to staging copy or fault tolerance settings instead of addressing the root cause. Remember, the self-hosted IR acts as a bridge; if its resources are insufficient, the connection will fail mid-transfer. Memory tip: "Big data needs big resources—check the host before the config."
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.
You have a production pipeline in Azure Data Factory that copies data from an on-premises SQL Server to Azure Blob Storage using a self-hosted integration runtime. The pipeline fails intermittently with a 'Connection closed' error. The data volume is 50 GB per run. What should you first troubleshoot to resolve this issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Increase the memory and CPU resources on the self-hosted integration runtime machine and check network stability.
Option A is correct because the self-hosted IR's memory and network stability are common causes of 'Connection closed' errors with large data volumes. Option B (disable fault tolerance) would actually make the issue worse. Option C (change to staging copy) might help but is not the first step. Option D (increase TTL) addresses only idle connections, not active data transfers.
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.
- ✓
Increase the memory and CPU resources on the self-hosted integration runtime machine and check network stability.
Why this is correct
The self-hosted IR needs sufficient resources for large data transfers; 'Connection closed' often indicates resource exhaustion or network interruptions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the 'connection timeout' setting in the linked service to 30 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
This addresses only idle connections, not active transfer failures due to resource limitations.
- ✗
Change the copy activity to use staged copy with Azure Blob Storage as an intermediate store.
Why it's wrong here
Staging can help with specific scenarios, but it adds latency and does not address the root cause of connection drops.
- ✗
Disable fault tolerance in the copy activity to improve performance.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling fault tolerance would cause the entire run to fail on any error, making the problem worse.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Staging can help with specific scenarios, but it adds latency and does not address the root cause of connection drops.
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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Develop data processing — study guide chapter
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Develop data processing practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-203 question test?
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: Increase the memory and CPU resources on the self-hosted integration runtime machine and check network stability. — Option A is correct because the self-hosted IR's memory and network stability are common causes of 'Connection closed' errors with large data volumes. Option B (disable fault tolerance) would actually make the issue worse. Option C (change to staging copy) might help but is not the first step. Option D (increase TTL) addresses only idle connections, not active data transfers.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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.
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