- A
Cool access tier with a time-based retention policy
Why wrong: The Cool tier is more expensive than Archive for data accessed less than once a year. It meets immutability with the retention policy, but does not minimize storage costs.
- B
Archive access tier with a time-based retention policy
The Archive tier is the lowest cost storage tier for rarely accessed data. Combined with a time-based retention policy, it enforces immutability for 7 years while minimizing costs.
- C
Hot access tier with versioning enabled
Why wrong: The Hot tier is expensive for data accessed infrequently. Versioning allows overwriting, which does not prevent deletion of current versions, and does not enforce a fixed retention period.
- D
Archive access tier with legal hold
Why wrong: Legal hold prevents deletion indefinitely, but it does not allow a fixed 7-year policy and is intended for litigation holds. Time-based retention is a better fit for a defined retention period.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is the Archive access tier with a time-based retention policy. This combination directly addresses the need for immutable storage for regulatory compliance in Azure Blob Storage by using a time-based retention policy to lock blobs against modification or deletion for a fixed 7-year period, while the Archive tier minimizes storage costs for data accessed less than once a year. On the DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Azure’s immutability policies and access tiers work together to meet compliance and cost objectives. A common trap is choosing the Cool or Hot tier, which are more expensive for rarely accessed data, or selecting a legal hold instead of a time-based retention policy—legal holds are indefinite and not suitable for a fixed 7-year requirement. Remember the memory tip: “Archive for cost, time-based for compliance” to link the lowest-cost tier with a defined retention window.
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.
A company stores large archives of legal documents in Azure Blob Storage. The documents must remain immutable; they cannot be modified or deleted for 7 years due to regulatory requirements. The data is accessed only for compliance audits, which occur less than once a year. The company wants to minimize storage costs while ensuring immutability and data durability. Which combination of features should they configure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
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.
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
Archive access tier with a time-based retention policy
The Archive access tier provides the lowest storage cost for data that is rarely accessed, such as legal documents accessed less than once a year. A time-based retention policy enforces immutability for a fixed 7-year period, preventing modifications or deletions. This combination meets regulatory requirements while minimizing storage costs.
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.
- ✗
Cool access tier with a time-based retention policy
Why it's wrong here
The Cool tier is more expensive than Archive for data accessed less than once a year. It meets immutability with the retention policy, but does not minimize storage costs.
- ✓
Archive access tier with a time-based retention policy
Why this is correct
The Archive tier is the lowest cost storage tier for rarely accessed data. Combined with a time-based retention policy, it enforces immutability for 7 years while minimizing costs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Hot access tier with versioning enabled
Why it's wrong here
The Hot tier is expensive for data accessed infrequently. Versioning allows overwriting, which does not prevent deletion of current versions, and does not enforce a fixed retention period.
- ✗
Archive access tier with legal hold
Why it's wrong here
Legal hold prevents deletion indefinitely, but it does not allow a fixed 7-year policy and is intended for litigation holds. Time-based retention is a better fit for a defined retention period.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'legal hold' (which is indefinite and manually managed) with 'time-based retention policy' (which automatically expires after a set duration), leading them to incorrectly choose the Archive tier with legal hold instead of the correct time-based retention policy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Archive tier has a 180-day minimum storage duration; deleting data before that incurs early deletion charges, but this is acceptable for a 7-year retention. Time-based retention policies use immutable blobs with a retention interval set at the container level, and once locked, the policy cannot be shortened or removed. Under the hood, Azure Blob Storage enforces immutability by blocking write or delete operations on the blob until the retention period expires, using a WORM (Write Once, Read Many) model.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Archive access tier with a time-based retention policy — The Archive access tier provides the lowest storage cost for data that is rarely accessed, such as legal documents accessed less than once a year. A time-based retention policy enforces immutability for a fixed 7-year period, preventing modifications or deletions. This combination meets regulatory requirements while minimizing storage costs.
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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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