Quick Answer
The correct answers are Azure Blob Storage and Dataverse. Power BI Desktop includes native connectors for both of these services, meaning they are built directly into the application and require no additional gateway or custom scripting to establish a connection. The Azure Blob Storage connector uses the Azure storage REST API to access data stored in blob containers, allowing you to import CSV, JSON, and Parquet files directly, while the Dataverse connector provides direct access to Microsoft’s low-code data platform for business applications. On the PL-300 exam, this question tests your understanding of which data sources are available out-of-the-box versus those requiring a gateway or custom connector—a common trap is confusing Azure Blob Storage with Azure SQL Database, which also has a native connector but is not listed here. A helpful memory tip is to think of “Blob and Dataverse” as the two native Azure storage pillars: one for raw files and one for structured business data.
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of prepare the data. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Which TWO data sources can you connect to from Power BI Desktop using a native connector? (Select two.)
Azure Blob Storage
Native connector available.
Dataverse
Native connector available.
MySQL database (on-premises)
Why wrong: Requires a gateway or ODBC; not a native connector.
Oracle database (on-premises)
Why wrong: Requires a gateway; not native.
MongoDB
Why wrong: Not a native connector.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Azure Blob Storage
Azure Blob Storage is a correct answer because Power BI Desktop includes a native connector for Azure Blob Storage, allowing direct connection to blob containers without needing a gateway or custom script. This connector uses the Azure storage REST API to access data stored in blobs, enabling import of CSV, JSON, and Parquet files directly.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure Blob Storage
Why this is correct
Native connector available.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Dataverse
Why this is correct
Native connector available.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
MySQL database (on-premises)
Why it's wrong here
Requires a gateway or ODBC; not a native connector.
Oracle database (on-premises)
Why it's wrong here
Requires a gateway; not native.
MongoDB
Why it's wrong here
Not a native connector.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume any popular database (like MySQL, Oracle, or MongoDB) has a native connector, but Power BI Desktop only provides native connectors for cloud-based services and specific Microsoft platforms, while on-premises databases require gateways or generic connectors like ODBC.
Detailed technical explanation
Native connectors in Power BI Desktop are built using the Power Query M language and directly integrate with cloud services like Azure Blob Storage and Dataverse via REST APIs or OData endpoints, bypassing the need for on-premises data gateways. For Azure Blob Storage, the connector supports anonymous, account key, and SAS token authentication, and can handle large datasets by partitioning blob reads. Dataverse uses the OData v4 protocol, enabling real-time querying of tables and views with support for incremental refresh.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
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FAQ
Prepare the data — This question tests Prepare the data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Azure Blob Storage — Azure Blob Storage is a correct answer because Power BI Desktop includes a native connector for Azure Blob Storage, allowing direct connection to blob containers without needing a gateway or custom script. This connector uses the Azure storage REST API to access data stored in blobs, enabling import of CSV, JSON, and Parquet files directly.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PL-300 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 PL-300 exam.
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