The answer is Blob lifecycle management policies. This is the correct choice because these policies automate the transition of blobs to cooler, more cost-effective access tiers—such as moving from Hot to Cool or Archive—based on age or last modification time, directly aligning with the need to reduce costs for rarely accessed video files after 30 days while preserving fast Hot-tier access for the initial high-demand period. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management for cost optimization, often appearing as a scenario-based question where you must choose the most efficient automation tool over manual tier changes or retention policies. A common trap is selecting Azure Backup or a retention policy, but those focus on data protection, not tier transitions. Memory tip: think of lifecycle policies as a “moving escalator” that automatically shifts data from expensive to cheap storage as it ages.
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 company uses Azure Blob Storage to store video files for a streaming service. The files are accessed frequently for the first 30 days after upload, then rarely after. The company wants to minimize storage costs while maintaining fast access for frequently accessed files. What should they implement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Why wrong: CDN caches content at edge locations for faster delivery, but does not reduce storage costs or change tiering.
B
Azure Files shares
Why wrong: Azure Files is a fully managed file share in the cloud, not designed for cost tiering of blobs.
C
Blob lifecycle management policies
Lifecycle management automates moving blobs between tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive) based on age, optimizing cost while keeping frequently accessed data in Hot tier.
D
Geo-redundant storage (GRS)
Why wrong: GRS provides geographic replication for durability, not cost savings related to access patterns.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Blob lifecycle management policies
Blob lifecycle management policies allow you to automatically transition blobs to cooler, cheaper access tiers (e.g., from Hot to Cool or Archive) based on age. This directly addresses the requirement: after 30 days of frequent access, the policy moves the video files to a lower-cost tier, reducing storage costs while keeping the Hot tier available for the initial high-access period.
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.
✗
Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Why it's wrong here
CDN caches content at edge locations for faster delivery, but does not reduce storage costs or change tiering.
✗
Azure Files shares
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files is a fully managed file share in the cloud, not designed for cost tiering of blobs.
✓
Blob lifecycle management policies
Why this is correct
Lifecycle management automates moving blobs between tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive) based on age, optimizing cost while keeping frequently accessed data in Hot tier.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Geo-redundant storage (GRS)
Why it's wrong here
GRS provides geographic replication for durability, not cost savings related to access patterns.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse cost optimization with performance acceleration, mistakenly choosing Azure CDN (Option A) because it improves access speed, when the question explicitly asks for minimizing storage costs while maintaining fast access for frequently accessed files.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Lifecycle management policies evaluate blobs based on the 'Last Modified' date and can trigger actions like 'tierToCool', 'tierToArchive', or 'delete'. The transition to Cool tier is immediate and cost-effective, but moving to Archive tier incurs a 30-day minimum storage charge and a data rehydration cost if accessed later. In a real-world streaming service, you might set a policy to move blobs older than 30 days to Cool, and then to Archive after 90 days, balancing access latency and cost.
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 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: Blob lifecycle management policies — Blob lifecycle management policies allow you to automatically transition blobs to cooler, cheaper access tiers (e.g., from Hot to Cool or Archive) based on age. This directly addresses the requirement: after 30 days of frequent access, the policy moves the video files to a lower-cost tier, reducing storage costs while keeping the Hot tier available for the initial high-access period.
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: "first", "minimum / minimize". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company stores large video files in Azure Blob Storage. The files are accessed frequently for the first 30 days after upload, then rarely for the next 180 days, and after that they are only needed for compliance but never accessed. The company wants to minimize storage costs while ensuring the files remain durable and accessible. Which strategy should they implement?
medium
A.Store all files in the Cool access tier and apply lifecycle management to move files to the Archive tier after 30 days.
✓ B.Store files initially in the Hot tier, then use lifecycle management to move files to Cool after 30 days and to Archive after 210 days.
C.Store files in the Archive tier from the beginning to maximize cost savings.
D.Store files in the Premium tier for fast access, then manually delete files after 30 days.
Why B: Option B is correct because it aligns the access patterns with the appropriate Azure Blob Storage access tiers: Hot for frequent initial access, Cool for reduced-cost infrequent access after 30 days, and Archive for the lowest-cost long-term retention after 210 days. Azure lifecycle management policies automate these transitions, ensuring durability and accessibility while minimizing costs.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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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.
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