Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A globally distributed online auction platform uses a replicated database system across multiple Azure regions. The system must continue accepting bids (writes) even if a network partition occurs between regions, because auctions cannot be interrupted. The business decides that during a partition, some users might see slightly outdated item prices (read inconsistency) but all bids must be recorded. According to the CAP theorem, which two properties is this system prioritizing?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Availability (A) and Partition Tolerance (P)
The system must remain available to accept bids even when network partitions occur, so it ensures Partition Tolerance (P). It also prioritizes Availability (A) by allowing writes to continue in all regions. As a result, Consistency (C) is sacrificed, meaning different regions may return different data temporarily.
B
Distractor review
Consistency (C) and Partition Tolerance (P)
Choosing Consistency and Partition Tolerance would mean that during a network partition, the system cannot guarantee availability (e.g., it might refuse writes or reads from some regions to maintain consistency). This is not what the scenario describes—the system must keep accepting bids.
C
Distractor review
Consistency (C) and Availability (A)
According to the CAP theorem, it is impossible to guarantee both Consistency and Availability in the presence of a network partition. The system must tolerate partitions, so this combination is not achievable in practice.
D
Distractor review
Durability and Availability
Durability is not one of the three CAP properties. CAP stands for Consistency, Availability, and Partition Tolerance. Durability is important but not part of the CAP theorem.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
Related practice questions
Related DP-900 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
A data engineer is designing a data lake architecture in Azure. They plan to first ingest raw data from various sources into a landing zone in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. Then they will clean, validate, and deduplicate that data in a second zone. Finally, they will create aggregated, business-ready datasets in a third zone for analysts. This layered approach is known as which architecture?
Question 5
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Question 6
A company collects customer feedback forms. Each form contains always-present fields like CustomerID and SubmissionDate, but also a free-text Comments field and optional fields like Rating or ProductCategory that vary between forms. How should this data be classified?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-900 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Availability (A) and Partition Tolerance (P) — The CAP theorem states that a distributed data store can only guarantee two of the three properties: Consistency, Availability, and Partition Tolerance. Since the system must continue functioning (accept writes) during a network partition, it chooses Partition Tolerance (P). To allow writes during the partition, it must allow temporary inconsistency between regions, so it sacrifices Strong Consistency (C) and thus prioritizes Availability (A). Therefore, the system is an AP (Availability and Partition Tolerance) system. Consistency (C) is sacrificed. The scenario explicitly states that some users may see outdated data, confirming the lack of strong consistency.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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