DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
A data engineer needs to load 500 GB of CSV files from an on-premises server into Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 daily. The data must be transferred securely over the internet. Which Azure tool should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse Azure Data Factory as the default tool for any data movement, overlooking that AzCopy is the lightweight, purpose-built utility for direct, scriptable bulk transfers without orchestration overhead.
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
✓
AzCopy
AzCopy is the correct tool because it is a command-line utility designed for high-performance, secure copying of data to and from Azure Blob Storage and Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. It supports the required 500 GB daily transfer over the internet using HTTPS encryption, and can be scripted for automation without the overhead of a full orchestration service.
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 Data Factory
Why it's wrong here
Azure Data Factory is a cloud-based ETL and data orchestration service; while its Copy Activity can move files, using it requires provisioning linked services, datasets, pipelines, and an integration runtime. That configuration overhead and per-activity cost are unjustified for a direct, one-time bulk transfer of 500 GB CSV files. For purely copying data to Azure Storage, AzCopy is far simpler and more efficient.
- ✗
Azure PowerShell
Why it's wrong here
Azure PowerShell can upload files using cmdlets like Set-AzStorageBlobContent, but these cmdlets operate one file at a time with low concurrency, so driving a 500 GB CSV set through a script loop would be slow and prone to interruption without built-in checkpointing. AzCopy is purpose-built for large-scale data movement, using parallel threads, automatic retries, and resumable transfers to saturate network bandwidth. PowerShell lacks those performance optimizations, making it a poor choice for large volumes.
- ✗
Azure Import/Export service
Why it's wrong here
Azure Import/Export service transfers data by courier shipping physical hard drives to an Azure datacenter, which involves preparing disks, creating import jobs, arranging logistics, and waiting days or weeks for completion. While appropriate when network bandwidth is extremely limited or data is terabytes-to-petabytes, 500 GB of CSV files over a typical internet connection can be completed quickly with an online tool. Offline physical transfer is thus unnecessarily complex and not the simplest method.
- ✓
AzCopy
Why this is correct
AzCopy is a dedicated command-line utility engineered specifically for high-performance, resumable copying between on-premises storage and Azure Blob Storage or Azure Files. It automatically partitions files, spawns multiple concurrent connections to maximize throughput, validates data integrity with checksums, and can resume from a checkpoint if a transfer is interrupted. For moving 500 GB of CSVs, AzCopy provides the simplest and most efficient online solution with one command such as azcopy copy.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Blob storage
Blob storage is a cloud service for storing large amounts of unstructured data, such as text or binary data, like documents, images, and videos.
Key term
Data lake
A data lake is a centralized storage repository that holds vast amounts of raw data in its native format until it is needed for analysis.
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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.