DP-203 Design and implement data storage Practice Question
This DP-203 practice question tests your understanding of design and implement data storage. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Your organization uses Azure Synapse Analytics dedicated SQL pool. You need to implement a solution that reduces storage costs for historical data that is rarely accessed but must be available for querying within minutes. The solution should not require application changes. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create external tables pointing to data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with appropriate tiering
Option A is correct because creating external tables in Azure Synapse Analytics dedicated SQL pool that point to data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS Gen2) allows you to query historical data directly from low-cost storage tiers (e.g., cool or archive) without moving it into the pool. This reduces storage costs for rarely accessed data while keeping it queryable within minutes, and requires no application changes since the external tables are accessed via standard T-SQL queries.
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.
✓
Create external tables pointing to data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with appropriate tiering
Why this is correct
External tables allow querying data in Data Lake Storage without moving it, and tiering reduces cost.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Azure Blob Storage with PolyBase and configure lifecycle management to archive data
Why it's wrong here
This is similar but Data Lake Storage is more integrated with Synapse; however, this could work but requires more configuration.
✗
Drop older partitions and reload data when needed
Why it's wrong here
Dropping partitions permanently deletes data; reloading requires changes and time.
✗
Change the distribution to round-robin for the fact table
Why it's wrong here
Distribution affects query performance, not storage costs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse PolyBase with external tables, assuming PolyBase requires data to be in hot tier or that lifecycle management alone solves the query latency requirement, but they overlook the rehydration delay of archive tier and the need for zero application changes.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
This is similar but Data Lake Storage is more integrated with Synapse; however, this could work but requires more configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
External tables in Azure Synapse use the CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE AS SELECT (CETAS) or CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE syntax with a LOCATION pointing to ADLS Gen2, leveraging the PolyBase engine to read data directly from the storage layer. ADLS Gen2 lifecycle management policies can automatically move data from hot to cool or archive tiers based on age, and external tables can query data in cool tier instantly (archive tier requires rehydration). This pattern is commonly used in a 'medallion architecture' (bronze/silver/gold) where historical data is stored in cheaper tiers while remaining accessible for ad-hoc analytics.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-203 question in full detail.
Design and implement data storage — This question tests Design and implement data storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create external tables pointing to data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with appropriate tiering — Option A is correct because creating external tables in Azure Synapse Analytics dedicated SQL pool that point to data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS Gen2) allows you to query historical data directly from low-cost storage tiers (e.g., cool or archive) without moving it into the pool. This reduces storage costs for rarely accessed data while keeping it queryable within minutes, and requires no application changes since the external tables are accessed via standard T-SQL queries.
What should I do if I get this DP-203 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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