DP-203 Develop data processing Practice Question
You have an Azure Data Factory pipeline that copies data from an on-premises SQL Server to Azure Blob Storage. The pipeline uses a self-hosted integration runtime and runs successfully during business hours. However, after a recent network security update, the pipeline fails with a connection error to the on-premises SQL Server. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse a source-side connectivity failure with a sink-side or authentication issue, but the question explicitly states a 'connection error to the on-premises SQL Server,' which points directly to network or firewall blocking at the source, not to storage capacity or SHIR registration status.
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
✓
A firewall rule on the on-premises SQL Server is blocking the self-hosted integration runtime.
The self-hosted integration runtime (SHIR) connects to on-premises SQL Server via TCP port 1433 by default. A recent network security update likely added a firewall rule on the SQL Server or the on-premises network that blocks outbound or inbound traffic on this port, preventing the SHIR from establishing a connection. Since the pipeline ran successfully before the update, the most probable cause is a new firewall restriction targeting the SHIR's IP address or subnet.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
A firewall rule on the on-premises SQL Server is blocking the self-hosted integration runtime.
Why this is correct
The self-hosted integration runtime initiates outbound connections to the on-premises SQL Server, so a new firewall rule on that server blocking the runtime's host is the most likely cause. The runtime itself is unaffected by Azure-side network changes, and credentials were unchanged.
- ✗
The Azure Blob Storage account has been moved to a different subscription.
Why it's wrong here
Relocating the storage account alters the copy destination, yet the failure is a connection error to the on-premises SQL Server, reached through the self-hosted integration runtime. Subscription moves are tempting when diagnosing access failures, but they would surface as authorisation or missing-resource faults on the sink, not source connectivity.
- ✗
The self-hosted integration runtime node has been de-registered from Azure Data Factory.
Why it's wrong here
De-registration would break all pipeline runs, not only those after the network security update, and typically yields an integration runtime unavailable error rather than a source connection failure. Re-registering is the fix when a node is lost or rebuilt, which is not the scenario described here.
- ✗
The blob container has reached its maximum capacity.
Why it's wrong here
Blob container capacity does not affect outbound connectivity to an on-premises SQL Server; the self-hosted integration runtime initiates that connection. Capacity limits are relevant when writes to Blob Storage fail with throttling or quota errors, not when the copy activity cannot reach the source.
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 |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Implement Azure Data Factory Pipelines
Key term
Data Transformation Pipelines
Data transformation pipelines are automated sequences of steps that take raw data from a source, clean and reshape it into a usable format, and then load it into a destination for analysis or storage.
Key term
Azure Data Factory
Azure Data Factory is a cloud-based data integration service that lets you create, schedule, and orchestrate data pipelines to move and transform data from various sources to destinations.
About these practice questions
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JA
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.