DP-203 Design and implement data storage Practice Question
Your company uses Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 for a data lake. You need to implement a folder structure that separates data by sensitivity level. Which access control method should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse network-level controls (firewall, VNet) or shared access signatures with the directory-level ACLs required for sensitivity-based folder separation, overlooking that only ACLs provide the POSIX-style granularity needed for hierarchical data lakes.
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
✓
Use Azure RBAC at the resource group level and ACLs on directories
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 supports both Azure RBAC at the resource group level for coarse-grained control and POSIX-like ACLs on directories for fine-grained, sensitivity-based access. This combination allows you to assign read/write/execute permissions per directory, enabling a folder structure that separates data by sensitivity level without compromising security.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use a storage account firewall and virtual network service endpoints
Why it's wrong here
D is wrong because firewall restricts network access, not folder-level access.
- ✗
Use storage account keys for all access
Why it's wrong here
A is wrong because keys grant full access to the entire account.
- ✓
Use Azure RBAC at the resource group level and ACLs on directories
Why this is correct
C is correct because RBAC provides coarse control and ACLs provide fine-grained folder-level permissions.
- ✗
Use shared access signatures (SAS) for each folder
Why it's wrong here
B is wrong because SAS tokens apply to the entire container or directory, not easily per folder.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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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.