DP-900 Relational database Practice Question
A developer is designing a new application that requires a relational database. The database must support complex queries and stored procedures. Which Azure data service 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 SQL Database
Azure SQL Database, is the correct choice because it is a fully managed relational database service that supports complex queries (e.g., joins, subqueries) and stored procedures, which are essential for the described application. Option B (Azure Table Storage) is a NoSQL key-value store and does not support relational queries or stored procedures. Option C (Azure Cosmos DB) is a NoSQL database that, while it can support some query capabilities, is not designed for complex relational queries and stored procedures. Option D (Azure Blob Storage) is object storage for unstructured data and lacks relational features.
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
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service that supports schema enforcement, primary and foreign keys, T-SQL queries, stored procedures, and ACID transactions. For an application that requires relational storage, it gives direct support for complex joins, indexed views, and fine-grained permissions out of the box.
- ✗
Azure Table Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Table Storage is a NoSQL key-value store where data is partitioned by partition key and row key and accessed by those keys. Because it does not expose a relational engine, it cannot enforce referential integrity, perform joins across tables, or execute stored procedures, so it is unsuited for an application with relational requirements.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB
Why it's wrong here
Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database supporting document, graph, and key-value APIs. Although its SQL API may look like SQL, it operates on JSON documents rather than related tables and lacks full relational features such as cross-table foreign keys and complex query optimizer-based joins, making it only a superficially query language-compatible option.
- ✗
Azure Blob Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Blob Storage is an object storage service optimized for storing unstructured data such as images, videos, and log files in blobs and containers. It provides no query engine, no schema, and no ability to create stored procedures, and retrieving specific fields requires client-side application logic, so it cannot satisfy relational database access requirements.
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
Relational database
A relational database organizes data into tables with rows and columns, where each table relates to others using unique keys, allowing efficient storage, retrieval, and manipulation of structured information.
Key term
Unstructured data
Unstructured data is information that does not have a predefined data model or is not organized in a predefined manner, making it difficult for traditional databases to read and process.
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