Describe an analytics workload on Azure →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

DP-900 Describe an analytics workload on Azure Practice Question

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

```json
{
  "name": "CopyDataPipeline",
  "properties": {
    "activities": [
      {
        "name": "CopyFromBlobToSQL",
        "type": "Copy",
        "inputs": [
          {
            "referenceName": "BlobInputDataset",
            "type": "DatasetReference"
          }
        ],
        "outputs": [
          {
            "referenceName": "SQLOutputDataset",
            "type": "DatasetReference"
          }
        ],
        "typeProperties": {
          "source": {
            "type": "DelimitedTextSource",
            "storeSettings": {
              "type": "AzureBlobStorageReadSettings",
              "recursive": true
            }
          },
          "sink": {
            "type": "SqlSink",
            "writeBatchSize": 10000
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Refer to the exhibit. You have an Azure Data Factory pipeline definition as shown. The pipeline fails with a 'Source not found' error. The BlobInputDataset points to a container that exists. What is the most likely cause?

⚠ Common exam trap

Candidates often confuse a missing file or incorrect path with an empty container or permission issues, but the specific 'Source not found' error points directly to the dataset's file path or pattern mismatch.

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

✓

The dataset's file path is incorrect or no files match the pattern.

The 'Source not found' error in Azure Data Factory indicates that the source dataset cannot locate the specified file or blob. Since the container exists, the most likely cause is that the file path defined in the dataset is incorrect or that no files match the specified pattern (e.g., wildcard or prefix). This is a common configuration issue when the dataset's folder path or file name does not correspond to the actual blob location.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
The Azure Blob Storage container is empty.
Why it's wrong here
While an empty container means the source dataset's container exists, the Copy Activity would find the container but read zero files, typically succeeding with 0 rows or raising a different error such as 'FileNotFound' for a specific expected file. An empty container is still a valid, resolvable path for the Azure Blob Storage linked service, so it would not produce a generic 'source not found' message. The missing-file error appears only when the requested file or matching pattern cannot be resolved at the specified location.
✗
The Azure Data Factory managed identity does not have access to the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
If the Azure Data Factory managed identity lacks the required Storage Blob Data Reader role, the linked service would fail during authentication/authorization with an HTTP 403 'Access Denied' or 'AuthorizationPermissionMismatch' error before any file enumeration. The identity is checked against the container's access control list, and a permission failure is a distinct error class from a path-resolution failure. Thus, the symptom would be access-related, not 'source not found.'
✗
The SQL sink database does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
A missing SQL sink database causes the error only at the sink phase of the pipeline, after the source has been successfully read and data transformation is attempted. The SQL connector would return an error such as 'Cannot open database ... requested by the login' or a SQL login/database existence error when creating the destination table. Because the reported failure is 'source not found,' it cannot be attributed to a sink-related object.
✓
The dataset's file path is incorrect or no files match the pattern.
Why this is correct
The dataset's file path being incorrect or no files matching the pattern is the correct cause because 'source not found' is a resolution error raised when Azure Data Factory successfully authenticates to the storage account but cannot find the specific folder, file, or wildcard pattern defined in the dataset. In Azure Blob Storage, the connector checks the container and then the specified virtual directory/file; if the path is mistyped, the directory doesn't exist, or the wildcard filter excludes all files, the activity fails with a source-not-found error. This is the only option that directly explains a missing-source condition rather than an authorization, emptiness, or sink failure.

Go deeper

DP-900 Describe an analytics workload on Azure Practice Question

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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