DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe considerations for working with non-relational data 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 smart city application collects sensor data from thousands of devices. Data is ingested as JSON messages containing deviceId, timestamp, and reading value. The application must support fast point reads by deviceId and also run queries to retrieve all readings for a specific deviceId within a time range. The development team prefers a SQL-like query language. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they choose?
Correct. SQL API offers SQL-like query syntax, fast point reads, and works directly with JSON documents.
B
Table API
Why wrong: Incorrect. Table API supports key-value lookups but does not support SQL-like queries or complex filters like time ranges.
C
MongoDB API
Why wrong: Incorrect. While MongoDB API works with JSON and supports queries, it uses a MongoDB syntax, not standard SQL, and the team prefers SQL-like language.
D
Cassandra API
Why wrong: Incorrect. Cassandra API is for wide-column stores and uses CQL (Cassandra Query Language), which is not standard SQL and has limitations on range queries without proper modeling.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
SQL (Core) API
The SQL (Core) API is the best choice because it natively supports SQL-like querying, enabling both fast point reads by deviceId (using the partition key) and efficient time-range queries on a specific deviceId. It also provides native JSON support, which aligns with the JSON message format from the sensors, and allows indexing on timestamp for range queries.
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.
✓
SQL (Core) API
Why this is correct
Correct. SQL API offers SQL-like query syntax, fast point reads, and works directly with JSON documents.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Table API
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Table API supports key-value lookups but does not support SQL-like queries or complex filters like time ranges.
✗
MongoDB API
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While MongoDB API works with JSON and supports queries, it uses a MongoDB syntax, not standard SQL, and the team prefers SQL-like language.
✗
Cassandra API
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Cassandra API is for wide-column stores and uses CQL (Cassandra Query Language), which is not standard SQL and has limitations on range queries without proper modeling.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the misconception that any API with a SQL-like name (like Cassandra's CQL) is equivalent to the SQL (Core) API, but the key differentiator is native JSON support and the specific query language syntax preferred by the team.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the SQL (Core) API uses a hash-based partition key (deviceId) to distribute data across physical partitions, enabling fast point reads with a single RU cost. For time-range queries, a composite index on (deviceId, timestamp) can be created to avoid cross-partition scans, leveraging the index's B-tree structure for efficient range scans. In real-world scenarios, this pattern is common in IoT telemetry where each device's data is stored in a logical partition and queried by time windows.
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 considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — This question tests Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: SQL (Core) API — The SQL (Core) API is the best choice because it natively supports SQL-like querying, enabling both fast point reads by deviceId (using the partition key) and efficient time-range queries on a specific deviceId. It also provides native JSON support, which aligns with the JSON message format from the sensors, and allows indexing on timestamp for range queries.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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