- A
Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL API)
Correct. Cosmos DB's NoSQL API natively supports JSON documents with flexible schema. It offers low-latency reads on the partition key and allows secondary indexes to support queries on other attributes like UserID.
- B
Azure SQL Database
Why wrong: Azure SQL Database is a relational database requiring a fixed schema. While it supports JSON, schema flexibility is limited and it is not the best choice for highly variable documents.
- C
Azure Table Storage
Why wrong: Azure Table Storage is a key-value store. It does not support secondary indexes, making queries by UserID and time range inefficient. It also has limited schema flexibility because entity properties are tied to partition and row keys.
- D
Azure Blob Storage
Why wrong: Azure Blob Storage is for unstructured data like files. It does not provide indexing or query capabilities for nested attributes, making it unsuitable for this use case.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Cosmos DB with its SQL API for flexible JSON documents. This is the correct choice because Cosmos DB is a fully managed NoSQL database that provides schema-agnostic storage, allowing the variable session attributes like pages visited and device type to evolve without any schema management. It delivers low-latency reads by SessionID when you set that as the partition key, and its native support for secondary indexing enables efficient occasional queries by UserID and time range, all while offering global distribution and automatic indexing. On the DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of when to choose a NoSQL solution over a relational one—the trap is often selecting Azure SQL Database because it supports JSON, but that still requires a fixed schema and lacks the native secondary indexing flexibility. Remember the memory tip: “Session data is a NoSQL affair—Cosmos DB handles the variable pair.”
DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe considerations for working with non-relational data on azure. 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.
A company stores user session data for a web application. Each session has a unique SessionID, UserID, start time, end time, and a variable set of attributes (e.g., pages visited, clicks, device type). The workload requires low-latency reads by SessionID and occasional queries by UserID and time range. Schema flexibility is critical because the attributes evolve over time. The team wants a fully managed NoSQL database that supports secondary indexing. Which Azure data store should they choose?
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
Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL API)
Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL API) is correct because it is a fully managed NoSQL database that offers low-latency reads by SessionID (using a partition key), supports secondary indexing for queries by UserID and time range, and provides schema flexibility for evolving session attributes. Its multi-model API and global distribution meet the workload requirements without manual indexing or schema management.
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.
- ✓
Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL API)
Why this is correct
Correct. Cosmos DB's NoSQL API natively supports JSON documents with flexible schema. It offers low-latency reads on the partition key and allows secondary indexes to support queries on other attributes like UserID.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database is a relational database requiring a fixed schema. While it supports JSON, schema flexibility is limited and it is not the best choice for highly variable documents.
- ✗
Azure Table Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Table Storage is a key-value store. It does not support secondary indexes, making queries by UserID and time range inefficient. It also has limited schema flexibility because entity properties are tied to partition and row keys.
- ✗
Azure Blob Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Blob Storage is for unstructured data like files. It does not provide indexing or query capabilities for nested attributes, making it unsuitable for this use case.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse Azure Table Storage (which is also NoSQL and schema-flexible) with Cosmos DB, but Table Storage lacks secondary indexing, making it unsuitable for queries by UserID and time range without expensive scans.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Cosmos DB uses a hash-based partition key (e.g., SessionID) to distribute data across physical partitions, ensuring low-latency point reads. Secondary indexing is implemented via a separate index container that maps non-partition-key fields (e.g., UserID) to partition keys, enabling efficient range queries. In real-world scenarios, the variable set of attributes (e.g., pages visited) is stored as a JSON document, allowing schema evolution without migrations.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DP-900 questions
982 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DP-900 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DP-900 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Describe core data concepts practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe core data concepts.
Describe an analytics workload on Azure practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe an analytics workload on Azure.
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Identify considerations for relational data on Azure.
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure.
DP-900 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 fundamentals.
DP-900 scenario practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 scenario.
DP-900 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DP-900 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-900 question test?
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — This question tests Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL API) — Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL API) is correct because it is a fully managed NoSQL database that offers low-latency reads by SessionID (using a partition key), supports secondary indexing for queries by UserID and time range, and provides schema flexibility for evolving session attributes. Its multi-model API and global distribution meet the workload requirements without manual indexing or schema management.
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
3 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 smart city application collects sensor data from thousands of devices. Data is ingested as JSON messages containing deviceId, timestamp, and reading value. The application must support fast point reads by deviceId and also run queries to retrieve all readings for a specific deviceId within a time range. The development team prefers a SQL-like query language. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they choose?
medium- ✓ A.SQL (Core) API
- B.Table API
- C.MongoDB API
- D.Cassandra API
Why A: The SQL (Core) API is the best choice because it natively supports SQL-like querying, enabling both fast point reads by deviceId (using the partition key) and efficient time-range queries on a specific deviceId. It also provides native JSON support, which aligns with the JSON message format from the sensors, and allows indexing on timestamp for range queries.
Variation 2. A company is developing a web application that stores user profiles as JSON documents. The application needs to query these documents using SQL-like queries, and must support automatic indexing of all properties. They want a fully managed, globally distributed NoSQL database with low latency. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they use?
easy- A.Table API
- B.Cassandra API
- ✓ C.SQL API
- D.Gremlin API
Why C: The SQL API (formerly DocumentDB API) is the correct choice because it natively supports querying JSON documents with SQL-like syntax (SELECT * FROM c WHERE c.property = value). It automatically indexes all properties by default, provides a fully managed, globally distributed NoSQL database with low-latency reads and writes, and is designed specifically for document-based workloads like user profiles.
Variation 3. A social media application stores user profile data as JSON documents. Each user's document has a different structure, with fields that vary based on user activity. The application needs to query these documents efficiently using SQL-like syntax and support high write throughput. Which Azure data store is most appropriate for this workload?
medium- A.Azure SQL Database
- B.Azure Blob Storage
- ✓ C.Azure Cosmos DB
- D.Azure Table Storage
Why C: Azure Cosmos DB is the most appropriate choice because it natively supports storing and querying JSON documents with varying schemas, offers SQL-like query syntax via its core (SQL) API, and provides guaranteed low-latency reads/writes at any scale with automatic indexing of all fields. Its multi-model nature and configurable consistency levels make it ideal for high-throughput workloads like a social media application.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.