Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure →mediumMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
Which TWO of the following are characteristics of Azure Blob Storage?
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
✓
Supports access tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive)
Options B and C are correct. Azure Blob Storage supports access tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive) to optimize cost (B) and can store large binary objects like videos (C). Option A is incorrect because Blob Storage does not enforce a fixed schema; it stores unstructured data. Option D is incorrect because ACID transactions across multiple records are a feature of relational databases, not Blob Storage. Option E is incorrect because Blob Storage supports block blobs, append blobs, and page blobs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enforces a fixed schema for stored data
Why it's wrong here
Blob Storage is schema-less by design, treating each blob as an opaque sequence of bytes with no enforced structure. It does not require users to define tables, columns, or data types before uploading content, so a fixed schema is not a characteristic. This contrasts sharply with relational data stores where schema constraints are mandatory.
- ✓
Supports access tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive)
Why this is correct
Azure Blob Storage supports Hot, Cool, and Archive access tiers to balance performance and cost. Hot tiers serve frequently accessed data with low latency, Cool tiers are for infrequent access with a lower storage cost, and Archive offers the cheapest storage but requires rehydration before reading. This tiering capability is a key cost-optimization feature unique to object storage.
- ✓
Supports storing large binary objects such as videos
Why this is correct
Blob Storage natively handles massive unstructured binary files, such as videos, images, and backups, scaling up to petabytes. It stores these objects using block blobs, which allow efficient upload and download of large payloads. Because the service treats data as raw bytes, it is an ideal repository for media-heavy workloads.
- ✗
Provides ACID transactions across multiple records
Why it's wrong here
Blob Storage does not provide ACID transactions across multiple records or blobs; each individual blob operation is atomic, but there is no multi-record transaction mechanism. Relational databases enforce ACID guarantees, but blob storage is a distributed object store designed for scale and throughput, not transactional integrity. Any multi-blob consistency must be handled through application-side patterns.
- ✗
Only supports block blobs
Why it's wrong here
Blob Storage actually supports three distinct blob types: block blobs for large binary objects, append blobs for streaming and logging, and page blobs for frequent random read/write operations. Saying it only supports block blobs overlooks these other types, which serve different workloads such as VHD virtual disks and append-only logs. Thus, 'only block blobs' is an incorrect characterization.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Schema
A schema is a blueprint or logical structure that defines how data is organized, stored, and accessed in a database or information system.
Key term
Blob storage
Blob storage is a cloud service for storing large amounts of unstructured data, such as text or binary data, like documents, images, and videos.
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