DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 uses an online system to process incoming delivery requests one at a time, updating the database immediately upon each transaction. They also run a weekly job that analyzes thousands of delivery records to identify average delivery times and trends. Which set of terms correctly classifies these two workloads?
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.
Correct. OLTP handles day-to-day transactions, and OLAP handles analysis across many records.
B
Batch processing and real-time processing
Why wrong: Incorrect. While the first is transactional (not just real-time streaming) and the second is batch, the standard classification for these workloads is OLTP/OLAP.
C
Relational and non-relational
Why wrong: Incorrect. These terms refer to data storage types, not workload types.
D
Structured and semi-structured
Why wrong: Incorrect. These terms describe data formats, not workload types.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
OLTP and OLAP
The first workload processes individual delivery requests with immediate database updates, which is the definition of Online Transaction Processing (OLTP). The second workload runs a weekly job analyzing thousands of records for trends and averages, which is Online Analytical Processing (OLAP). These two terms correctly classify the transactional and analytical workloads described.
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.
✓
OLTP and OLAP
Why this is correct
Correct. OLTP handles day-to-day transactions, and OLAP handles analysis across many records.
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.
✗
Batch processing and real-time processing
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While the first is transactional (not just real-time streaming) and the second is batch, the standard classification for these workloads is OLTP/OLAP.
✗
Relational and non-relational
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. These terms refer to data storage types, not workload types.
✗
Structured and semi-structured
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. These terms describe data formats, not workload types.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the processing mode (batch vs. real-time) with the workload classification (OLTP vs. OLAP), but the question specifically asks for the terms that classify the workloads, not describe their timing.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OLTP systems are optimized for ACID-compliant, low-latency transactions (e.g., INSERT/UPDATE on indexed rows), often using row-oriented storage. OLAP systems use columnar storage (e.g., in Azure Synapse or SQL Server Analysis Services) to aggregate large datasets efficiently, leveraging techniques like star schemas and pre-aggregated measures. The weekly job's analysis of 'average delivery times' is a classic OLAP query using GROUP BY and AVG, which would be slow on an OLTP-optimized schema.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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: OLTP and OLAP — The first workload processes individual delivery requests with immediate database updates, which is the definition of Online Transaction Processing (OLTP). The second workload runs a weekly job analyzing thousands of records for trends and averages, which is Online Analytical Processing (OLAP). These two terms correctly classify the transactional and analytical workloads described.
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.