- A
Eventual consistency
Why wrong: Eventual consistency means data will become consistent over time, but not immediately. This is not suitable for real-time like counts where users expect instant accuracy.
- B
Strong consistency
Strong consistency guarantees that after a write, all reads return the most recent write. This is required for the like count to be immediately accurate for all viewers.
- C
Session consistency
Why wrong: Session consistency ensures the user sees their own writes, but other users might not see them immediately. This does not guarantee global immediate accuracy for the like count.
- D
Bounded staleness consistency
Why wrong: Bounded staleness allows reads to be slightly behind writes within a configurable lag. This would not meet the requirement for instantaneous accurate display.
Quick Answer
The answer is strong consistency. This model is the correct choice because it guarantees immediate read after write, meaning that once a user clicks the like button and the write operation completes, every subsequent read from any user will return the exact same, most recent like count. In the social media scenario, this ensures no user sees a stale or outdated number, making the experience identical for all viewers. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how different consistency models handle data synchronization in distributed systems. A common trap is confusing strong consistency with eventual consistency, where reads may return old data for a short period. Remember: strong consistency sacrifices some performance for absolute accuracy, while eventual consistency prioritizes availability and speed. A helpful memory tip is to think of "strong" as "same for everyone, right now"—if you need zero delay and zero variation, strong consistency is your only option.
DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 social media application allows users to post updates and like posts. After a user clicks the like button, the like count must update immediately and be exactly the same for all users viewing the post. Which data consistency model best fits this requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
Strong consistency
Strong consistency ensures that after a write operation (like clicking the like button) completes, any subsequent read operation returns the most recent write. This guarantees that all users viewing the post see the exact same, up-to-date like count immediately. This is required for the social media scenario where the like count must be identical for all viewers without any delay.
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.
- ✗
Eventual consistency
Why it's wrong here
Eventual consistency means data will become consistent over time, but not immediately. This is not suitable for real-time like counts where users expect instant accuracy.
- ✓
Strong consistency
Why this is correct
Strong consistency guarantees that after a write, all reads return the most recent write. This is required for the like count to be immediately accurate for all viewers.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Session consistency
Why it's wrong here
Session consistency ensures the user sees their own writes, but other users might not see them immediately. This does not guarantee global immediate accuracy for the like count.
- ✗
Bounded staleness consistency
Why it's wrong here
Bounded staleness allows reads to be slightly behind writes within a configurable lag. This would not meet the requirement for instantaneous accurate display.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the misconception that 'eventual consistency' is acceptable for real-time updates, but the key differentiator here is the requirement for immediate and identical visibility for all users, which only strong consistency satisfies.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, strong consistency is typically achieved using quorum-based protocols (e.g., in Apache Cassandra with ALL or QUORUM consistency levels) or linearizable systems like ZooKeeper or etcd. In a distributed database, this often requires synchronous replication across nodes, which increases write latency but guarantees that all subsequent reads return the latest value. A real-world example is a financial transaction system where a balance update must be immediately visible to all subsequent queries to prevent overdrafts.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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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Describe core data concepts — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-900 question test?
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: Strong consistency — Strong consistency ensures that after a write operation (like clicking the like button) completes, any subsequent read operation returns the most recent write. This guarantees that all users viewing the post see the exact same, up-to-date like count immediately. This is required for the social media scenario where the like count must be identical for all viewers without any delay.
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: "best", "immediately / without restart". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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