DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. 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 healthcare organization must store patient health records for 7 years to meet regulatory requirements. After 7 years, data must be deleted immediately. They use Azure Blob Storage. Which policy should they implement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Time-based retention policy
A time-based retention policy (immutability policy) in Azure Blob Storage ensures that blobs are stored in a WORM (Write Once, Read Many) state for a specified period, preventing modification or deletion. After the retention period expires, the data can be deleted immediately, meeting the 7-year regulatory requirement. This policy is designed specifically for compliance scenarios where data must be preserved for a fixed duration and then removed.
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.
✗
Soft delete policy
Why it's wrong here
Soft delete protects against accidental deletion but does not enforce a fixed retention period.
✗
Legal hold policy
Why it's wrong here
Legal hold retains data indefinitely, not for a fixed period.
✗
Lifecycle management policy with deletion after 7 years
Why it's wrong here
Lifecycle management does not prevent modification or deletion during the retention period; it only automates tiering/deletion.
✓
Time-based retention policy
Why this is correct
Time-based retention retains data for the specified period and then allows deletion.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse lifecycle management (which automates deletion but does not prevent premature modification) with time-based retention (which enforces immutability during the retention period), leading them to choose lifecycle management despite its inability to guarantee data integrity before deletion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Blob Storage time-based retention policies are part of the immutable blob feature, which uses a policy scope at the container level. When a time-based retention policy is set, all blobs in the container are locked in an immutable state until the retention interval elapses, after which they can be deleted (but not overwritten). This is enforced at the storage service level, bypassing any user permissions, and is critical for meeting regulations like HIPAA or SEC Rule 17a-4 that require tamper-proof storage.
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 core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Time-based retention policy — A time-based retention policy (immutability policy) in Azure Blob Storage ensures that blobs are stored in a WORM (Write Once, Read Many) state for a specified period, preventing modification or deletion. After the retention period expires, the data can be deleted immediately, meeting the 7-year regulatory requirement. This policy is designed specifically for compliance scenarios where data must be preserved for a fixed duration and then removed.
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: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.