The correct choice is to replicate the fact table to all nodes. This improves performance because hash-distributing a fact table on a high-cardinality column like SalesDate often leads to data skew, where some distributions hold far more rows than others, causing slow queries due to uneven processing. Replicating the table copies it to every compute node, eliminating the need for data shuffling during joins and aggregations, which is ideal for smaller fact tables. On the DP-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of distribution design trade-offs: hash distribution works best on columns with high uniqueness and even data spread, while replication is a performance shortcut for tables under 2 GB. A common trap is confusing round-robin (for staging) with replication, or assuming a primary key is always the best distribution key. Memory tip: “Replicate to accelerate, hash to distribute evenly—but avoid skew on high-cardinality dates.”
DP-900 Describe an analytics workload on Azure Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe an analytics workload 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.
A company runs a sales analytics workload on Azure Synapse Analytics. They notice that queries against the fact table are slow. The fact table is hash-distributed on the SalesDate column. Which design change would most likely improve query performance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Replicate the fact table to all nodes
Option D is correct because hash-distributing on a high-cardinality date column can cause data skew and slow queries. Replicating the fact table avoids shuffling and improves performance for smaller tables. Option A is wrong because round-robin distribution is for staging tables, not fact tables. Option B is wrong because dropping indexes makes queries slower. Option C is wrong because the distribution key should be a frequently joined column, not necessarily the primary key.
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.
✗
Change distribution key to the primary key column
Why it's wrong here
Primary key alone may not be the best join column; distribution key should match join patterns.
✓
Replicate the fact table to all nodes
Why this is correct
Replication avoids data movement during joins and is effective for smaller fact tables.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change distribution to round-robin
Why it's wrong here
Round-robin distributes rows evenly but does not optimize joins or aggregations.
✗
Drop all indexes on the fact table
Why it's wrong here
Dropping indexes would slow down queries that benefit from index seeks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
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 which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Describe an analytics workload on Azure — This question tests Describe an analytics workload on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Replicate the fact table to all nodes — Option D is correct because hash-distributing on a high-cardinality date column can cause data skew and slow queries. Replicating the fact table avoids shuffling and improves performance for smaller tables. Option A is wrong because round-robin distribution is for staging tables, not fact tables. Option B is wrong because dropping indexes makes queries slower. Option C is wrong because the distribution key should be a frequently joined column, not necessarily the primary key.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Identify which DP-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.