DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
You need to migrate an on-premises SQL Server database to Azure SQL Managed Instance with minimal downtime. Which tool should you use?
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 Database Migration Service (DMS)
The correct tool for migrating an on-premises SQL Server database to Azure SQL Managed Instance with minimal downtime is Azure Database Migration Service (DMS). DMS supports online migrations with minimal downtime. Option A (Azure Data Factory) is primarily for data integration and orchestration, not optimized for online database migrations. Option B (SSIS) is an ETL tool, not designed for minimal downtime migration. Option C (BACPAC export/import) is an offline method that involves exporting the database to a .bacpac file and then importing, which requires downtime. Therefore, option D is correct.
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 Factory
Why it's wrong here
ADF is for data integration, not for database migration.
- ✗
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
Why it's wrong here
SSIS is for ETL, not for database migration.
- ✗
BACPAC export and import
Why it's wrong here
BACPAC is offline and may cause downtime.
- ✓
Azure Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why this is correct
DMS supports online migrations with minimal downtime.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
ETL
ETL stands for Extract, Transform, Load, a process that moves data from multiple source systems into a single database, data warehouse, or data lake for analysis and reporting.
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.
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