- A
Atomicity
Why wrong: Atomicity ensures that a transaction is treated as a single, indivisible unit (all or nothing). The foreign key check is about data validity after the transaction, not about rollback of partial changes.
- B
Consistency
Consistency guarantees that a transaction will not violate any database integrity constraints. By rejecting an update that would break referential integrity, the database enforces consistency.
- C
Isolation
Why wrong: Isolation ensures that concurrent transactions do not interfere with each other. The foreign key check here is about data correctness, not concurrency control.
- D
Durability
Why wrong: Durability guarantees that once a transaction is committed, it remains permanent even in the event of a system failure. The constraint enforcement occurs before the transaction commits, so it is not about durability.
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 updates a customer's address in a database. The update must ensure that all existing orders still reference a valid customer ID. The database checks the foreign key constraint and rejects the update if it would violate referential integrity. Which ACID property does this enforcement represent?
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
Consistency
Consistency ensures that any database transaction brings the database from one valid state to another, preserving all defined rules, including constraints like foreign keys. In this scenario, the foreign key constraint enforcement prevents an update that would leave orphaned order records, directly upholding the consistency property by rejecting the transaction if it violates referential integrity.
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.
- ✗
Atomicity
Why it's wrong here
Atomicity ensures that a transaction is treated as a single, indivisible unit (all or nothing). The foreign key check is about data validity after the transaction, not about rollback of partial changes.
- ✓
Consistency
Why this is correct
Consistency guarantees that a transaction will not violate any database integrity constraints. By rejecting an update that would break referential integrity, the database enforces consistency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Isolation
Why it's wrong here
Isolation ensures that concurrent transactions do not interfere with each other. The foreign key check here is about data correctness, not concurrency control.
- ✗
Durability
Why it's wrong here
Durability guarantees that once a transaction is committed, it remains permanent even in the event of a system failure. The constraint enforcement occurs before the transaction commits, so it is not about durability.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse consistency with atomicity, thinking that rejecting an invalid update is about 'all-or-nothing' behavior, when in fact consistency is specifically about maintaining data integrity rules and constraints.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the database engine checks foreign key constraints at the statement or transaction level using internal metadata and index lookups to verify that the referenced primary key exists. If the update would violate the constraint, the engine raises an error and aborts the statement (or transaction, depending on the isolation level and implementation), ensuring the database remains in a consistent state. In SQL Server, for example, this is enforced by the FOREIGN KEY constraint definition, which is checked during UPDATE and DELETE operations unless the constraint is defined with NOCHECK.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
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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: Consistency — Consistency ensures that any database transaction brings the database from one valid state to another, preserving all defined rules, including constraints like foreign keys. In this scenario, the foreign key constraint enforcement prevents an update that would leave orphaned order records, directly upholding the consistency property by rejecting the transaction if it violates referential integrity.
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.
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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.
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