DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of identify considerations for 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```sql
CREATE DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL MyCred
WITH IDENTITY = 'Managed Identity'
GO
CREATE EXTERNAL DATA SOURCE MyDataSource
WITH (
LOCATION = 'https://mystorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net/container',
CREDENTIAL = MyCred
)
GO
CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE dbo.SalesExternal
(
SaleID int,
SaleDate datetime2,
Amount decimal(10,2)
)
WITH (
LOCATION = 'sales/',
DATA_SOURCE = MyDataSource,
FILE_FORMAT = MyFileFormat
)
```
Refer to the exhibit. You create an external table in Azure SQL Database. Which data source is being used?
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
The exhibit shows an external table referencing a data source with the LOCATION set to 'https://mystorage.blob.core.windows.net/...', which is the endpoint for Azure Blob Storage. In Azure SQL Database, external tables are created over external data sources that point to Azure Blob Storage or Azure Data Lake Storage, but the URL format 'blob.core.windows.net' specifically indicates Azure Blob Storage. The CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE statement uses this data source to read data stored as files (e.g., CSV, Parquet) in the blob container.
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
Why this is correct
The location 'https://mystorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net/container' indicates Blob Storage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Files
Why it's wrong here
Azure Files is not supported as external data source for Azure SQL Database.
✗
Azure SQL Database
Why it's wrong here
It's an external table pointing to external storage.
✗
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
Why it's wrong here
The location uses blob.core.windows.net, not dfs.core.windows.net.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Azure Blob Storage with Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 because both can store files, but the endpoint URL (blob.core.windows.net vs. dfs.core.windows.net) is the key differentiator in the exhibit.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Azure SQL Database uses the PolyBase engine to create external tables, which requires an external data source defined with TYPE = BLOB_STORAGE for Azure Blob Storage. The LOCATION string must match the blob endpoint exactly, and the table definition includes a FORMAT option (e.g., CSV, Parquet) and a credential for access. A real-world scenario is querying large log files stored in Blob Storage without importing them into the database, enabling cost-effective analytics on cold data.
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.
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — This question tests Identify considerations for 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 — The exhibit shows an external table referencing a data source with the LOCATION set to 'https://mystorage.blob.core.windows.net/...', which is the endpoint for Azure Blob Storage. In Azure SQL Database, external tables are created over external data sources that point to Azure Blob Storage or Azure Data Lake Storage, but the URL format 'blob.core.windows.net' specifically indicates Azure Blob Storage. The CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE statement uses this data source to read data stored as files (e.g., CSV, Parquet) in the blob container.
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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