The answer is to use the Put Block and Put Block List operations with a block size that handles retries. This is correct because uploading a 500 GB file as a single monolithic blob over an unreliable network risks total failure if the connection drops mid-transfer; by breaking the file into smaller blocks, each block can be independently uploaded and retried upon failure, and the Put Block List operation then assembles all successfully uploaded blocks into the final blob. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure Blob Storage’s block blob architecture and its built-in resilience for large uploads—a common trap is choosing AzCopy or Azure Portal, which also use block-level operations under the hood, but the question specifically asks for the feature, which is the block-level API itself. Memory tip: think “blocks beat breaks”—individual blocks survive network hiccups, so you can retry each piece without starting over.
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. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
You need to upload a 500 GB file to Azure Blob Storage. The network connection is unreliable. Which feature should you use to ensure the upload completes successfully?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the Put Block and Put Block List operations with a block size that handles retries.
Option B is correct because the Put Block and Put Block List operations allow you to upload a large file as a series of individual blocks. Each block can be retried independently if the network fails, and the final Put Block List assembles the blocks into a single blob. This block-level retry mechanism ensures the upload completes despite an unreliable connection.
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.
✗
Configure a lifecycle management policy to tier the file.
Why it's wrong here
Lifecycle management does not handle uploads.
✓
Use the Put Block and Put Block List operations with a block size that handles retries.
Why this is correct
Block-level upload allows resuming.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Azure File Sync to synchronize the file to the cloud.
Why it's wrong here
File Sync is for file shares.
✗
Use AzCopy with the /Z parameter to resume the upload.
Why it's wrong here
AzCopy uses block-level uploads internally, but the question asks for a feature.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AzCopy's resume capability (which works at the file level) with the block-level retry mechanism of Put Block/Put Block List, assuming any resume feature is sufficient for unreliable networks, but only block-level retries provide fine-grained resilience.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Put Block uploads each block (up to 100 MB per block for standard block blobs) as a separate HTTP PUT request, and the service stores each block with a unique block ID. If a block upload fails, only that block needs to be retried, not the entire file. The Put Block List operation then commits the blocks by specifying their IDs in order, which is atomic and ensures the final blob is consistent. In practice, this approach is ideal for large uploads over unreliable connections because it minimizes the amount of data that must be re-sent on failure.
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.
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: Use the Put Block and Put Block List operations with a block size that handles retries. — Option B is correct because the Put Block and Put Block List operations allow you to upload a large file as a series of individual blocks. Each block can be retried independently if the network fails, and the final Put Block List assembles the blocks into a single blob. This block-level retry mechanism ensures the upload completes despite an unreliable connection.
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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