- A
Azure Blob Storage in the Hot tier with a lifecycle management policy to move blobs to Cool after 30 days and to Archive after 1 year, with customer-managed encryption keys.
Blob Storage supports large files, lifecycle management, and customer-managed keys. HIPAA eligible.
- B
Azure Cosmos DB with a large document size limit, storing images as base64-encoded strings.
Why wrong: Cosmos DB has a document size limit of 2 MB, not suitable for large images.
- C
Azure NetApp Files with a capacity pool and export policy, using snapshots for backup.
Why wrong: Overkill and expensive; not the best fit for long-term archival.
- D
Azure Files with Azure File Sync to local servers, storing all images in the Premium tier for fast access.
Why wrong: Azure Files is not optimized for large binary files; Premium tier is expensive for long-term retention.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Blob Storage in the Hot tier with a lifecycle management policy to move blobs to Cool after 30 days and to Archive after 1 year, with customer-managed encryption keys. This configuration is correct because Azure Blob Storage is HIPAA eligible, supports large DICOM files up to 500 MB, and its lifecycle management automatically transitions blobs between tiers based on access patterns—Hot for frequent radiologist access in the first year, Cool for occasional access after 30 days, and Archive for long-term regulatory retention after one year, all while supporting application-level encryption with customer-managed keys. On the DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure storage tiers, lifecycle policies, and compliance requirements; a common trap is choosing Azure Files or Cosmos DB, but remember that Blob Storage is purpose-built for large binary objects like medical images. Memory tip: think "Hot, Cool, Archive" as the three-stage lifecycle for DICOM data—frequent, infrequent, then frozen for compliance.
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. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 needs to store medical imaging files (DICOM) that average 50 MB each, with some up to 500 MB. The images must be retained for 10 years for regulatory compliance. During the first year, images are accessed frequently by radiologists. After one year, access drops to once or twice a year. The organization also needs to support application-level encryption with customer-managed keys. The storage solution must be HIPAA eligible and provide high durability. You need to recommend a storage solution. Which Azure service and configuration should you choose?
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.
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
Azure Blob Storage in the Hot tier with a lifecycle management policy to move blobs to Cool after 30 days and to Archive after 1 year, with customer-managed encryption keys.
Option A is correct because Azure Blob Storage is HIPAA eligible, supports large blobs, and offers lifecycle management to move blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers automatically. Customer-managed keys are supported. Option B is wrong because Azure Files has a file size limit of 4 TiB and is not optimized for DICOM images. Option C is wrong because Azure NetApp Files is expensive and not necessary. Option D is wrong because Azure Cosmos DB is not designed for large binary files.
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 Blob Storage in the Hot tier with a lifecycle management policy to move blobs to Cool after 30 days and to Archive after 1 year, with customer-managed encryption keys.
Why this is correct
Blob Storage supports large files, lifecycle management, and customer-managed keys. HIPAA eligible.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB with a large document size limit, storing images as base64-encoded strings.
Why it's wrong here
Cosmos DB has a document size limit of 2 MB, not suitable for large images.
- ✗
Azure NetApp Files with a capacity pool and export policy, using snapshots for backup.
Why it's wrong here
Overkill and expensive; not the best fit for long-term archival.
- ✗
Azure Files with Azure File Sync to local servers, storing all images in the Premium tier for fast access.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files is not optimized for large binary files; Premium tier is expensive for long-term retention.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-900 question test?
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: Azure Blob Storage in the Hot tier with a lifecycle management policy to move blobs to Cool after 30 days and to Archive after 1 year, with customer-managed encryption keys. — Option A is correct because Azure Blob Storage is HIPAA eligible, supports large blobs, and offers lifecycle management to move blobs from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers automatically. Customer-managed keys are supported. Option B is wrong because Azure Files has a file size limit of 4 TiB and is not optimized for DICOM images. Option C is wrong because Azure NetApp Files is expensive and not necessary. Option D is wrong because Azure Cosmos DB is not designed for large binary files.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Identify which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". 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
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on DP-900
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 healthcare organization stores medical imaging files (DICOM) that are actively used by radiologists for the first 30 days. After 30 days, the files are accessed infrequently for up to 5 years. After 5 years, they must be retained for legal compliance but are accessed very rarely. The organization wants to minimize storage costs. Which strategy should they use to manage the data lifecycle in Azure Blob Storage?
easy- A.Store all files in the Hot tier and use lifecycle management to move to the Archive tier after 5 years.
- ✓ B.Store files in the Hot tier, move to Cool tier after 30 days, then to Archive tier after 5 years.
- C.Store all files in the Archive tier from the beginning to minimize cost.
- D.Store all files in the Cool tier to balance cost and access.
Why B: Option B is correct because it aligns the data lifecycle with the access patterns: Hot tier for frequent initial access, Cool tier for infrequent access after 30 days, and Archive tier for long-term compliance after 5 years. Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management policies can automate these transitions, minimizing costs by using the most cost-effective tier for each phase.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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