DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
A company wants to analyze data from multiple Azure SQL Databases using a single query. Which Azure service should they use?
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 SQL Database elastic query
Azure SQL Database elastic query is correct because it enables cross-database queries across multiple Azure SQL Databases from a single T-SQL query, using an external data source and external table to reference the other databases. This directly matches the requirement to analyze data from multiple Azure SQL Databases with one query. Failover groups are for high availability and geo-replication, not for querying across databases. Azure Synapse Link provides near-real-time analytics replication from operational stores into Synapse, and Azure Stream Analytics is for real-time stream processing, so neither fits this cross-database query scenario.
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 SQL Database elastic query
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Database elastic query runs T-SQL across multiple Azure SQL Databases through an external data source, returning one combined result set. It directly satisfies the stem's single-query constraint without copying data into a separate analytics store, unlike Synapse Analytics or Data Factory pipelines.
- ✗
Azure SQL Database failover groups
Why it's wrong here
Failover groups provide geo-replication and automatic failover for a single logical server's databases, not a query engine that joins data across separate Azure SQL Databases. They are tempting when high availability and disaster recovery are required, but the scenario demands consolidated analytical querying, which Azure Synapse Analytics delivers.
- ✗
Azure Synapse Link
Why it's wrong here
Synapse Link replicates Dataverse or SQL data into a dedicated analytical store for near-real-time reporting, not cross-database querying. It is tempting because it bridges operational and analytical workloads, but the stem needs a single query spanning several Azure SQL Databases, which Azure Synapse Analytics provides through external tables.
- ✗
Azure Stream Analytics
Why it's wrong here
Stream Analytics processes continuous event streams from sources such as Event Hubs or IoT Hub, not federated queries across multiple Azure SQL Databases. It suits real-time telemetry pipelines, whereas cross-database querying requires a service that virtualises and joins data across database engines.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Azure SQL Active Geo-Replication
Key term
Azure Stream Analytics
Azure Stream Analytics is a fully managed, real-time data processing service that analyzes and transforms high volumes of streaming data from various sources to deliver low-latency insights and trigger actions.
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
About these practice questions
One of 851 original DP-900 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.