The answer is the Cool tier. This is the correct choice because the Cool tier is specifically designed for data that is accessed infrequently but still requires immediate availability with low-latency retrieval, and it enforces a minimum storage duration of 30 days, which aligns perfectly with patient records older than one year that may be needed for compliance audits. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of Azure storage tier use cases, often appearing as a scenario where you must distinguish between Hot, Cool, and Archive tiers based on access frequency and retrieval time. A common trap is selecting Archive tier due to its low cost, but Archive has a retrieval latency of hours, making it unsuitable for occasional access that requires quick response. Remember the memory tip: “Cool for occasional, Archive for glacial.”
DP-900 Describe an analytics workload on Azure Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe an analytics workload 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 data engineer needs to design a solution for a healthcare organization that must store patient records for 7 years to comply with regulatory requirements. The data will be accessed infrequently after the first year. Which Azure storage tier should be used for data older than one year?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Why wrong: Transaction-optimized is a tier for Azure Files, not for Azure Blob Storage; it is designed for high-transaction workloads, not archival.
B
Cool tier
Cool tier is a low-cost storage tier for data that is infrequently accessed and stored for at least 30 days, ideal for data older than one year.
C
Archive tier
Why wrong: Archive tier has the lowest storage cost but requires rehydration to access data, with a minimum storage duration of 180 days, which may be excessive for 7-year retention.
D
Hot tier
Why wrong: Hot tier is optimized for data that is accessed frequently, incurring higher storage costs, not suitable for infrequently accessed data.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cool tier
The Cool tier is designed for data that is accessed infrequently but must be available immediately when needed, with a minimum storage duration of 30 days. Since patient records older than one year are accessed rarely but may still require low-latency retrieval for compliance audits, Cool tier balances cost and accessibility. Hot tier is for frequent access, Archive tier has a retrieval latency of hours (not suitable for occasional access), and Transaction-optimized is not a standard Azure Blob Storage tier.
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.
✗
Transaction-optimized tier
Why it's wrong here
Transaction-optimized is a tier for Azure Files, not for Azure Blob Storage; it is designed for high-transaction workloads, not archival.
✓
Cool tier
Why this is correct
Cool tier is a low-cost storage tier for data that is infrequently accessed and stored for at least 30 days, ideal for data older than one year.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Archive tier
Why it's wrong here
Archive tier has the lowest storage cost but requires rehydration to access data, with a minimum storage duration of 180 days, which may be excessive for 7-year retention.
✗
Hot tier
Why it's wrong here
Hot tier is optimized for data that is accessed frequently, incurring higher storage costs, not suitable for infrequently accessed data.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the misconception that Archive tier is the cheapest and therefore always the best for old data, but the trap here is ignoring the retrieval latency and access requirements—Archive is only appropriate if data can tolerate hours of delay for rehydration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Blob Storage access tiers are managed at the blob level, and the Cool tier incurs lower storage costs but higher access costs compared to Hot. The minimum storage duration for Cool tier is 30 days, and early deletion incurs a penalty, which aligns well with the 7-year retention requirement. Under the hood, Cool tier uses lower-cost storage media and may have slightly higher latency (still milliseconds) compared to Hot, but it remains suitable for read-after-write scenarios where data is not accessed frequently.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Describe an analytics workload on Azure — This question tests Describe an analytics workload on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cool tier — The Cool tier is designed for data that is accessed infrequently but must be available immediately when needed, with a minimum storage duration of 30 days. Since patient records older than one year are accessed rarely but may still require low-latency retrieval for compliance audits, Cool tier balances cost and accessibility. Hot tier is for frequent access, Archive tier has a retrieval latency of hours (not suitable for occasional access), and Transaction-optimized is not a standard Azure Blob Storage tier.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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