- A
The first system is an OLTP workload; the second is an OLAP workload.
OLTP systems handle many small, real-time transactions, while OLAP systems are used for complex analytical queries on aggregated data. This accurately describes the two workloads.
- B
Both systems are OLTP workloads because they store customer orders.
Why wrong: The second system is a data warehouse used for analysis, not for processing individual transactions. It is an OLAP workload, not OLTP.
- C
The first system is an OLAP workload; the second is an OLTP workload.
Why wrong: This is the reverse. OLTP handles transactions; OLAP handles analytics. The first system is clearly transactional, the second is analytical.
- D
Both systems are OLAP workloads because they both involve data storage.
Why wrong: OLAP is specifically for analytical processing. The first system is transactional (OLTP), not analytical.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the first system is an OLTP workload and the second is an OLAP workload. This is correct because OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) systems are optimized for handling many small, concurrent transactions like inserts, updates, and deletes while maintaining ACID compliance and fast response times, whereas OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) systems are designed for complex aggregations and historical trend analysis using columnar storage and star schemas. On the DP-900 exam, this distinction tests your understanding of fundamental data architecture roles, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must match workload characteristics to the correct processing type. A common trap is confusing OLTP with analytics, but remember that OLTP focuses on write-heavy, row-based operations for day-to-day operations, while OLAP focuses on read-heavy, column-based queries for business intelligence. A helpful memory tip: think of OLTP as "transactional" and OLAP as "analytical" — the "P" in each stands for Processing, but the "T" and "A" tell you the purpose.
DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
A company stores customer orders in a relational database that handles many small transactions (inserts, updates, deletes) throughout the day. Separately, they maintain a data warehouse that is used for complex aggregations and historical trend analysis. Which statement correctly describes these two workloads?
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
The first system is an OLTP workload; the second is an OLAP workload.
The first system handles many small, concurrent transactions (inserts, updates, deletes) typical of an Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) workload, optimized for ACID compliance and fast query response. The second system is an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) workload, designed for complex aggregations and historical trend analysis using columnar storage and star schemas. This distinction is fundamental in data architecture, where OLTP systems prioritize write performance and OLAP systems prioritize read performance for large-scale analytics.
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.
- ✓
The first system is an OLTP workload; the second is an OLAP workload.
Why this is correct
OLTP systems handle many small, real-time transactions, while OLAP systems are used for complex analytical queries on aggregated data. This accurately describes the two workloads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Both systems are OLTP workloads because they store customer orders.
Why it's wrong here
The second system is a data warehouse used for analysis, not for processing individual transactions. It is an OLAP workload, not OLTP.
- ✗
The first system is an OLAP workload; the second is an OLTP workload.
Why it's wrong here
This is the reverse. OLTP handles transactions; OLAP handles analytics. The first system is clearly transactional, the second is analytical.
- ✗
Both systems are OLAP workloads because they both involve data storage.
Why it's wrong here
OLAP is specifically for analytical processing. The first system is transactional (OLTP), not analytical.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the terms OLTP and OLAP, often assuming any database that stores data is OLTP or that any system with 'warehouse' in the name is automatically OLTP, when in fact the workload pattern (many small transactions vs. complex aggregations) defines the category.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OLTP systems typically use row-oriented storage (e.g., SQL Server with clustered indexes) to optimize for frequent point lookups and small writes, while OLAP systems use columnar storage (e.g., Azure Synapse with columnstore indexes) to compress data and accelerate aggregate scans. In practice, mixing these workloads on the same system can cause resource contention, which is why dedicated data warehouses like Azure Synapse or Amazon Redshift are used for OLAP.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-900 question test?
Describe core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The first system is an OLTP workload; the second is an OLAP workload. — The first system handles many small, concurrent transactions (inserts, updates, deletes) typical of an Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) workload, optimized for ACID compliance and fast query response. The second system is an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) workload, designed for complex aggregations and historical trend analysis using columnar storage and star schemas. This distinction is fundamental in data architecture, where OLTP systems prioritize write performance and OLAP systems prioritize read performance for large-scale analytics.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
6 more ways this is tested on DP-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company maintains a database of customer orders that are updated frequently. They also store aggregated monthly sales reports that are generated once and then only read. Which statement correctly distinguishes these two types of data workloads?
easy- ✓ A.Transactional data is optimized for write operations, and analytical data is optimized for read operations.
- B.Transactional data must always be stored in non-relational databases, and analytical data in relational databases.
- C.Analytical data always requires real-time processing, whereas transactional data is batch-processed.
- D.Transactional data is read-only and analytical data is frequently updated.
Why A: Option A is correct because transactional workloads (like the frequently updated customer orders) are optimized for write-heavy operations, ensuring ACID compliance and data integrity, while analytical workloads (like the read-only monthly sales reports) are optimized for read-heavy operations, often using columnar storage or pre-aggregated data to speed up queries. This distinction aligns with the core difference between OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) systems in Azure, such as Azure SQL Database for transactional data and Azure Synapse Analytics for analytical data.
Variation 2. A retail company processes customer orders throughout the day. Each order involves inserting a new record into a database table, updating inventory counts, and deleting temporary cart data. At the end of each week, the company runs a query that aggregates all orders by product category and region to generate a sales report. Which of the following best describes these two workloads?
easy- A.Order processing is OLAP; weekly reporting is OLTP
- B.Order processing is batch processing; weekly reporting is streaming processing
- ✓ C.Order processing is OLTP; weekly reporting is OLAP
- D.Both workloads are OLTP
Why C: Order processing involves frequent, small transactions (inserts, updates, deletes) that are typical of Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) workloads, which prioritize data integrity and low-latency writes. The weekly sales report aggregates large volumes of historical data by product category and region, which is characteristic of Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) workloads that support complex queries and data summarization. Option C correctly identifies these two distinct workload types.
Variation 3. A company operates an online store that processes customer orders. When a customer places an order, the system must immediately reduce the inventory count for the purchased items and record the order details. At the end of each month, the company runs reports that aggregate sales data over the past month to analyze trends. Which type of data processing workload best describes the order placement activity?
easy- ✓ A.Transactional processing
- B.Analytical processing
- C.Batch processing
- D.Stream processing
Why A: Order placement requires immediate inventory reduction and order recording, which demands ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) guarantees. This is a classic transactional processing workload, typically handled by OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) systems like SQL Server or Azure SQL Database, ensuring data integrity even under concurrent access.
Variation 4. A retail company operates an online store. When a customer places an order, the system immediately updates inventory and payment records. Separately, the company's business analysts run weekly reports that aggregate sales data to identify trends. Which two terms correctly describe these workloads?
easy- ✓ A.Batch processing and real-time processing
- ✓ B.OLTP and OLAP
- C.Structured and Unstructured data
- D.Data ingestion and data transformation
Why A: The order processing system that immediately updates inventory and payment records is a classic Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) workload, which handles high volumes of small, real-time transactions with ACID guarantees. The weekly sales aggregation reports run by business analysts are an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) workload, which involves complex queries over large historical datasets to support business intelligence. Option B correctly pairs these two distinct processing paradigms.
Variation 5. A ride-sharing company processes trip requests from customers. Each trip is recorded as a single transaction that updates the driver's status, calculates the fare, and logs the ride. At the end of each month, the company runs reports that aggregate millions of trips to determine average wait times and revenue per driver. Which pair of terms best describes these two distinct workloads?
easy- ✓ A.OLTP and OLAP
- B.Batch processing and stream processing
- C.ETL and ELT
- D.Relational and non-relational
Why A: The first workload (trip request processing) is a classic OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) system because each trip is a single, atomic transaction that updates driver status, calculates fare, and logs the ride in real time. The second workload (monthly aggregation reports) is OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) because it queries millions of historical trip records to compute averages and revenue summaries. These two patterns have fundamentally different data storage and query optimization requirements, making OLTP and OLAP the correct pair.
Variation 6. A company operates an online store where customers place orders and the system immediately updates inventory and records payments. This workload is best described as:
easy- A.OLAP (Online Analytical Processing)
- ✓ B.OLTP (Online Transaction Processing)
- C.Batch processing
- D.Data warehousing
Why B: This workload is best described as OLTP because it involves real-time, high-frequency transactions that immediately update inventory and record payments. OLTP systems are designed for concurrent, atomic operations that maintain data integrity, which is exactly what an online store's order processing requires.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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