The answer is to use OPENROWSET in Azure Synapse Serverless SQL. This is the most efficient method because Serverless SQL is built for on-demand, ad-hoc querying of data stored in data lakes without requiring any provisioned storage or schema management; the OPENROWSET function with the BULK option directly reads CSV files using T-SQL, eliminating data movement and enabling instant analysis of the orders.csv file. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of when to choose Serverless SQL over a dedicated SQL pool—a common trap is assuming you need to load data first, but the key is that OPENROWSET queries data in place. Remember the memory tip: "OPENROWSET opens the file right where it sits," reinforcing that no staging or schema definition is needed for quick CSV queries.
DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A data engineer needs to query the orders.csv file using Azure Synapse Serverless SQL. What is the most efficient way to access this data?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use OPENROWSET in Serverless SQL
Azure Synapse Serverless SQL is designed for on-demand querying of data stored in data lakes without provisioning storage. The OPENROWSET function with the BULK option allows direct querying of CSV files using T-SQL, making it the most efficient method for ad-hoc analysis of the orders.csv file without data movement or schema management.
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.
✗
Use PolyBase to create external table
Why it's wrong here
PolyBase is used in dedicated SQL pool.
✓
Use OPENROWSET in Serverless SQL
Why this is correct
OPENROWSET can query files directly without loading.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse PolyBase (which is for dedicated SQL pools) with Serverless SQL's OPENROWSET, or assume that data must be moved to a database before querying, missing the serverless paradigm of query-in-place.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OPENROWSET in Serverless SQL uses the built-in query engine to read files directly from Azure Blob Storage or ADLS Gen2 via the BULK rowset provider, supporting CSV, Parquet, and JSON formats. It leverages the Synapse SQL compute layer to parse and process data on-the-fly, with options to specify delimiters, header rows, and error handling. In real-world scenarios, this is ideal for data exploration or ETL validation without incurring storage costs for intermediate tables.
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 core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use OPENROWSET in Serverless SQL — Azure Synapse Serverless SQL is designed for on-demand querying of data stored in data lakes without provisioning storage. The OPENROWSET function with the BULK option allows direct querying of CSV files using T-SQL, making it the most efficient method for ad-hoc analysis of the orders.csv file without data movement or schema management.
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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