Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
You are designing a solution to store JSON documents from a web application. Each document is about 10 KB and must be queried by a unique ID. Which Azure data store is most appropriate?
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 Cosmos DB
Azure Cosmos DB is a NoSQL database that natively supports JSON documents and provides low-latency queries by ID. Azure Blob Storage stores blobs but is not optimized for querying by document ID. Azure SQL Database is relational and requires schema. Azure Table Storage is key-value but less feature-rich for JSON documents.
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 SQL Database
Why it's wrong here
Azure SQL Database is a relational database that stores data in tables with a fixed schema, requiring JSON to be shredded into columns or stored as text and manipulated via JSON functions like OPENJSON, which complicates queries and indexing. This adds overhead and does not provide the flexible schema and native document behaviors needed for a pure JSON document store.
- ✗
Azure Table Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Table Storage is a NoSQL key-value store where entities are addressed by partition and row keys; JSON can be serialized into a property, but queries are limited to key lookups and there are no secondary indexes or native JSON operators, making document-level queries inefficient and cumbersome.
- ✓
Azure Cosmos DB
Why this is correct
Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed NoSQL document database that stores each JSON document natively, with automatic indexing of every property and a SQL API for rich querying over the JSON structure, plus optimized point reads by document ID and partition key, making it the clear choice for this workload.
- ✗
Azure Blob Storage
Why it's wrong here
Azure Blob Storage is optimized for storing large amounts of unstructured binary data, such as images or backups, and while it can hold JSON files, finding a specific document by ID requires external indexing (e.g., Azure Cognitive Search) because there is no built-in query engine over blob content, making it inefficient for direct JSON document access.
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
Azure Cosmos DB
Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed, globally distributed NoSQL database service that offers fast reads and writes anywhere in the world with automatic scaling and multiple consistency models.
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every DP-900 question from scratch — 820 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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on DP-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You need to store JSON documents for a web application that requires low-latency reads and writes globally. The data has no fixed schema. Which Azure service should you use?
easy- A.Azure Table Storage
- B.Azure Blob Storage
- C.Azure SQL Database
- ✓ D.Azure Cosmos DB
Why D: Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model database that natively supports JSON documents with low-latency reads and writes. Option A is wrong because Azure Table Storage is a key-value store, not ideal for complex JSON queries. Option B is wrong because Azure Blob Storage is not optimized for low-latency document queries. Option C is wrong because Azure SQL Database is relational and requires a fixed schema.
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.