DP-203 Develop data processing Practice Question
Your organization uses Azure Synapse Analytics to run large-scale ETL jobs. A pipeline that loads data from Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 into a dedicated SQL pool is failing with 'Out of memory' errors during the staging step. The source data is 500 GB in size, and the SQL pool is currently set to DW500c. What should you do to resolve the issue without changing the pipeline logic?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume partitioning the source data is a 'logical' fix without realizing it requires pipeline logic changes, or they may confuse PolyBase as a memory-saving alternative rather than a loading protocol that still relies on the pool's resources.
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 DWU of the dedicated SQL pool to a higher tier (e.g., DW1000c).
The 'Out of memory' error during the staging step indicates that the dedicated SQL pool lacks sufficient memory resources to handle the 500 GB data load within the current DWU setting. Increasing the DWU (Data Warehouse Units) from DW500c to a higher tier, such as DW1000c, scales up the memory and compute resources available to the pool, resolving the memory pressure without altering the pipeline logic or source data.
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 PolyBase instead of the Copy activity.
Why it's wrong here
PolyBase may also cause OOM if memory is insufficient.
- ✗
Switch the source to Azure Data Lake Storage Gen1.
Why it's wrong here
Gen1 is legacy and does not resolve memory issues.
- ✓
Increase the DWU of the dedicated SQL pool to a higher tier (e.g., DW1000c).
Why this is correct
Higher DWU provides more memory per distribution, resolving OOM errors.
- ✗
Partition the source data into smaller files.
Why it's wrong here
Partitioning does not increase memory available to the staging step.
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