Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
A company stores backup files in Azure Blob Storage. The backup files are accessed frequently for the first 30 days, then only rarely for the next six months. After one year, the files must be retained for compliance but are never accessed. The company wants to minimize storage costs. Which solution should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse Azure File Sync or Azure NetApp Files as viable storage options for backups, but these services are designed for active file sharing and high-performance workloads, not for cost-optimized, tiered archival of rarely accessed blob data.
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 Blob Storage lifecycle management policies
Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management policies allow you to automatically transition blobs to cooler tiers (e.g., from Hot to Cool after 30 days, then to Archive after one year) and delete blobs after a specified period, all without manual intervention. This directly matches the access pattern: frequent access for 30 days, rare access for six months, and never accessed after one year, minimizing storage costs by using the most cost-effective tier for each phase.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Manually move files between storage accounts
Why it's wrong here
Manually moving backup files between storage accounts is a brittle operational approach. It requires custom scripting or tools like AzCopy, introduces human error and retry handling, and cannot evaluate storage-tier rules based on blob age. Lifecycle management policies, by contrast, apply declarative rules automatically without manual intervention, so manual movement does not meet the requirement to optimize backup storage cost at scale.
- ✓
Use Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management policies
Why this is correct
Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management policies are the correct choice because they automate the transition of blobs across Hot, Cool, Cold, and Archive tiers based on age conditions such as 'last modified more than 90 days ago'. Administrators define JSON rules that move backup files to cooler, cheaper storage and optionally purge them after a retention period. This reduces cost with zero ongoing manual effort and integrates directly with backup workloads.
- ✗
Use Azure File Sync
Why it's wrong here
Azure File Sync is designed to synchronize Windows Server file shares with Azure Files, providing local caching and distributed access rather than managing blob storage tiers. It does not evaluate blob age or move blobs between Hot/Cool/Archive tiers, and it cannot target backup blobs stored in Azure Blob Storage containers. Therefore it is irrelevant to lifecycle cost optimization for backup files.
- ✗
Use Azure NetApp Files
Why it's wrong here
Azure NetApp Files is an enterprise-grade, high-performance file service based on NetApp technology, delivering NFS and SMB volumes for latency-sensitive workloads. It does not expose Azure Blob Storage access tiers or lifecycle management, so it cannot automatically archive or delete backup blobs as they age. Its purpose is performance-critical file storage, not cost-efficient tiering of backup data.
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 |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DP-900 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-900 exam.