DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
Which TWO of the following are valid relational database services in Azure?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Azure Cosmos DB as a relational database because it supports SQL-like queries, but it is fundamentally a NoSQL service with eventual consistency models and no relational integrity constraints.
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
✓
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database (B) is a fully managed relational database service built on the SQL Server engine, offering T-SQL, relational schemas, and ACID transactions, so it is a valid relational database service in Azure. Azure Database for MySQL (E) is a fully managed relational database service based on the MySQL Community Edition engine, supporting relational tables, SQL queries, and ACID compliance, making it a valid relational database service as well. Azure Data Lake Storage (A) is a scalable object/file storage service for big data analytics, not a relational database engine. Azure Cosmos DB (C) is a globally distributed multi-model NoSQL database (document, key-value, graph, column-family), not a relational database service. Azure Cache for Redis (D) is an in-memory key-value cache/data store, not a relational database service.
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 Data Lake Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Data Lake Storage is a hyperscale cloud storage repository built on Azure Blob Storage, designed to store massive amounts of raw and semi-structured data like files and directories. Unlike a relational database, it does not impose a schema, enforce data types, or provide transaction and query capabilities natively. While query engines can read its data, it remains a storage service rather than a database management system, so it is not a correct choice.
- ✓
Azure SQL Database
Why this is correct
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed Platform-as-a-Service relational database service that hosts the SQL Server engine in the cloud. It supports core relational features such as tables, primary and foreign keys, joins, and ACID-compliant transactions, and you interact with it using T-SQL. As a true relational database service, it is a valid answer for this question.
- ✗
Azure Cosmos DB
Why it's wrong here
Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database service that supports document, key-value, column-family, and graph data models. Although it offers a SQL-like query language over JSON documents, it does not enforce relational constraints like foreign keys or use the fixed-schema table structure of relational databases. Because it lacks the relational model, it is not a relational database service and therefore incorrect.
- ✗
Azure Cache for Redis
Why it's wrong here
Azure Cache for Redis is an in-memory key-value store based on open-source Redis, primarily used for caching, session storage, and low-latency data access. It keeps data in memory rather than on persistent storage in a structured table format, and it does not support SQL or relational operations like joins and complex transactions. Consequently, it is not a relational database service, making it wrong for this question.
- ✓
Azure Database for MySQL
Why this is correct
Azure Database for MySQL is a fully managed relational database service built on the MySQL server engine, delivering tables, indexes, views, stored procedures, and multi-statement transactions. It provides the familiar relational model and SQL access while automating backups, patching, and high availability. Because MySQL is fundamentally a relational database system, this is a valid correct answer.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
Key term
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database-as-a-service (DBaaS) in Microsoft Azure, based on the SQL Server engine, that handles scaling, backups, patching, and high availability automatically.
Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every DP-900 question from scratch — 851 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.