Question 927 of 982

Describe an analytics workload on Azure →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is Azure Synapse Analytics because it is the only Azure service that unifies real-time streaming and historical batch analytics within a single platform. For this logistics scenario, Synapse can ingest live GPS data from Event Hubs using its built-in Spark Structured Streaming or Synapse Pipelines, then immediately join that stream with historical route plan CSVs stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. Its dedicated SQL pool then enables complex T-SQL queries for ad-hoc reporting, while the integrated engine supports near real-time dashboarding. On the DP-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of Synapse as a converged analytics workspace, often contrasting it with services like Azure Stream Analytics (which lacks T-SQL ad-hoc querying) or Azure SQL Database (which lacks native streaming ingestion). A common trap is choosing Stream Analytics for the real-time piece alone, forgetting the requirement for complex T-SQL on combined datasets. Memory tip: think of Synapse as the “Swiss Army knife” for analytics—it handles streams, files, and SQL all in one place.

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 logistics company ingests real-time GPS data from delivery vehicles via Azure Event Hubs. The data includes vehicle ID, latitude, longitude, and timestamp. The company also has historical route plan data stored as CSV files in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. Data analysts need to combine the live stream with the historical data in near real-time to create a dashboard showing if vehicles are on schedule. They also need to run complex T-SQL queries on the combined dataset for ad-hoc reporting. Which Azure service should they use as the primary analytics platform?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Review the full routing breakdown →

A
A: Azure Stream Analytics
Why wrong: Stream Analytics excels at real-time processing and could create the dashboard, but it cannot perform complex ad-hoc T-SQL queries on historical data stored in Data Lake.
B
B: Azure Data Lake Analytics
Why wrong: Data Lake Analytics uses U-SQL (a combination of SQL and C#) and does not support standard T-SQL queries, which the analysts require for ad-hoc reporting.
C
C: Azure Synapse Analytics
Synapse Analytics provides a unified platform for real-time streaming ingestion, T-SQL querying over both streaming and historical data in Data Lake, and integration with Power BI for dashboards.
D
D: Azure Analysis Services
Why wrong: Analysis Services is an OLAP engine that builds semantic models (cubes) from data, but it does not directly ingest streaming data or support ad-hoc T-SQL queries on raw data.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

C: Azure Synapse Analytics

Azure Synapse Analytics is the correct choice because it provides a unified analytics platform that can ingest real-time data from Azure Event Hubs via its built-in streaming capabilities (e.g., using Synapse Pipelines or Spark Structured Streaming) and combine it with historical data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. It supports complex T-SQL queries through its dedicated SQL pool (formerly SQL Data Warehouse) for ad-hoc reporting, enabling near real-time dashboards and interactive analytics on the combined dataset.

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.

✗
A: Azure Stream Analytics
Why it's wrong here
Stream Analytics excels at real-time processing and could create the dashboard, but it cannot perform complex ad-hoc T-SQL queries on historical data stored in Data Lake.
✗
B: Azure Data Lake Analytics
Why it's wrong here
Data Lake Analytics uses U-SQL (a combination of SQL and C#) and does not support standard T-SQL queries, which the analysts require for ad-hoc reporting.
✓
C: Azure Synapse Analytics
Why this is correct
Synapse Analytics provides a unified platform for real-time streaming ingestion, T-SQL querying over both streaming and historical data in Data Lake, and integration with Power BI for dashboards.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
D: Azure Analysis Services
Why it's wrong here
Analysis Services is an OLAP engine that builds semantic models (cubes) from data, but it does not directly ingest streaming data or support ad-hoc T-SQL queries on raw data.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Stream Analytics as the primary analytics platform because it handles real-time streaming, but they overlook the requirement for complex T-SQL queries and ad-hoc reporting, which Stream Analytics cannot natively support, making Azure Synapse Analytics the correct unified solution.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Azure Synapse Analytics unifies big data and data warehousing by providing both serverless and dedicated SQL pools, enabling T-SQL queries over data in Data Lake Storage Gen2 using PolyBase or CETAS (Create External Table As Select). Its integration with Event Hubs via Synapse Pipelines or Spark Structured Streaming allows real-time data ingestion into staging tables, which can then be joined with historical data for near real-time dashboards, while the dedicated SQL pool supports complex T-SQL queries with MPP (Massively Parallel Processing) architecture for high-performance ad-hoc reporting.

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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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.

Describe core data concepts practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe core data concepts.

Describe an analytics workload on Azure practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe an analytics workload on Azure.

Identify considerations for relational data on Azure practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Identify considerations for relational data on Azure.

Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure.

DP-900 fundamentals practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 fundamentals.

DP-900 scenario practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 scenario.

DP-900 troubleshooting practice questions

Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 troubleshooting.

Practice this exam

Start a free DP-900 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

DP-900 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DP-900 question test?

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: C: Azure Synapse Analytics — Azure Synapse Analytics is the correct choice because it provides a unified analytics platform that can ingest real-time data from Azure Event Hubs via its built-in streaming capabilities (e.g., using Synapse Pipelines or Spark Structured Streaming) and combine it with historical data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. It supports complex T-SQL queries through its dedicated SQL pool (formerly SQL Data Warehouse) for ad-hoc reporting, enabling near real-time dashboards and interactive analytics on the combined dataset.

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: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.

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 →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

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.

Loading comments…

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.