Question 27 of 966

Deploy and maintain assets →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that scheduled refresh fails because the data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI), which is unsupported for unattended refresh operations. When a Power BI dataset is configured with Integrated Security, the gateway cannot delegate the user’s Windows credentials during a scheduled refresh, as SSPI requires an interactive user session to authenticate. This is a critical concept tested on the PL-300 exam, often appearing in scenario-based questions where a JSON snippet or gateway configuration shows SSPI in the connection string. A common trap is assuming that a gateway alone solves all on-premises connectivity issues, but the key distinction is that scheduled refresh needs stored credentials, not the interactive context of the original report author. To remember this, think of SSPI as “Single Sign-on, Persistent Impersonation Impossible”—without an active user session, the refresh simply cannot proceed.

PL-300 Deploy and maintain assets Practice Question

This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and maintain assets. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "datasetSettings": {
    "refreshSchedule": {
      "frequency": "Daily",
      "times": ["06:00", "18:00"],
      "enabled": true,
      "localTimeZone": "UTC"
    },
    "directQuery": {
      "enableDirectQuery": false
    }
  },
  "dataSources": [
    {
      "name": "SalesDB",
      "connectionString": "Server=sqlsrv01;Database=Sales;Integrated Security=SSPI;",
      "credentialType": "Windows",
      "gatewayId": "gateway-cluster-01"
    }
  ]
}

You are reviewing the deployment configuration for a Power BI dataset. The exhibit shows a JSON snippet of the dataset settings. You need to ensure that data is refreshed twice a day at 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM UTC. However, the refresh fails at both scheduled times. What is the most likely cause?

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.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Full question →

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "datasetSettings": {
    "refreshSchedule": {
      "frequency": "Daily",
      "times": ["06:00", "18:00"],
      "enabled": true,
      "localTimeZone": "UTC"
    },
    "directQuery": {
      "enableDirectQuery": false
    }
  },
  "dataSources": [
    {
      "name": "SalesDB",
      "connectionString": "Server=sqlsrv01;Database=Sales;Integrated Security=SSPI;",
      "credentialType": "Windows",
      "gatewayId": "gateway-cluster-01"
    }
  ]
}

A
The data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI) which is not supported for scheduled refresh.
SSPI requires the user's context; stored credentials cannot be used with SSPI.
B
The refresh schedule uses UTC but the data source is in a different time zone.
Why wrong: Time zone mismatch would cause the refresh to happen at wrong local times, not fail.
C
The dataset has DirectQuery enabled, which prevents Import mode refresh.
Why wrong: DirectQuery is explicitly disabled in the settings.
D
The gateway ID is incorrect.
Why wrong: The gateway ID is provided; if it were incorrect, the error would be different.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

The data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI) which is not supported for scheduled refresh.

Option A is correct because scheduled refresh in Power BI requires a gateway to connect to on-premises data sources, and when the data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI), the gateway cannot delegate credentials for scheduled refresh. SSPI relies on the user's interactive Windows authentication context, which is not available during unattended scheduled refresh operations. This causes the refresh to fail at both scheduled times.

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.

✓
The data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI) which is not supported for scheduled refresh.
Why this is correct
SSPI requires the user's context; stored credentials cannot be used with SSPI.
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.
✗
The refresh schedule uses UTC but the data source is in a different time zone.
Why it's wrong here
Time zone mismatch would cause the refresh to happen at wrong local times, not fail.
✗
The dataset has DirectQuery enabled, which prevents Import mode refresh.
Why it's wrong here
DirectQuery is explicitly disabled in the settings.
✗
The gateway ID is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
The gateway ID is provided; if it were incorrect, the error would be different.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often assume time zone mismatches or DirectQuery settings cause refresh failures, but the real issue is that Integrated Security (SSPI) requires interactive user context and is not supported for unattended scheduled refresh without proper delegation configuration.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

When a Power BI dataset uses Windows authentication (SSPI) for an on-premises data source, the scheduled refresh process runs under the service principal identity, which cannot obtain a Kerberos ticket for the user's context. The gateway must be configured with Kerberos constrained delegation (KCD) to allow the service to impersonate the user, but this requires specific Active Directory setup and is not automatically supported. Without KCD, the refresh fails with an authentication error because the gateway cannot pass the user's credentials to the data source.

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.

TExam Day Tips

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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PL-300 question test?

Deploy and maintain assets — This question tests Deploy and maintain assets — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI) which is not supported for scheduled refresh. — Option A is correct because scheduled refresh in Power BI requires a gateway to connect to on-premises data sources, and when the data source uses Integrated Security (SSPI), the gateway cannot delegate credentials for scheduled refresh. SSPI relies on the user's interactive Windows authentication context, which is not available during unattended scheduled refresh operations. This causes the refresh to fail at both scheduled times.

What should I do if I get this PL-300 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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.

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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026

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