PL-900 Practice Question: Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Automate
A user needs to build a Power Automate cloud flow that reads a SharePoint list item and then uses its values to update a row in an on-premises SQL Server table. The SQL Server is not exposed to the internet. Which component must the user install and configure to enable this connection?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse authentication components, such as service principals, with connectivity components; only the on-premises data gateway provides the network path to internal data.
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
✓
An on-premises data gateway
An on-premises data gateway runs inside the corporate network and brokers requests between Power Automate and internal resources like SQL Server. Because the gateway initiates outbound connections, no inbound firewall rules are required, which is why it is the recommended way to let cloud flows safely access on-premises data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A service principal in Microsoft Entra ID
Why it's wrong here
A service principal is an identity used for authentication and authorization, not for network traversal. It can help a flow authenticate to APIs or resources, but it does not establish a path to an internal SQL Server that has no public endpoint. The connectivity problem here is network-level, so an identity object alone will not solve it.
- ✗
A Power Automate desktop flow
Why it's wrong here
Desktop flows automate interactions on a Windows desktop, such as clicking UI elements or running scripts locally. They are not a networking component and do not let a cloud flow query a private SQL Server directly. While a desktop flow could run on a machine inside the network, it is not the component that enables the cloud-to-on-premises SQL connection described.
- ✓
An on-premises data gateway
Why this is correct
The on-premises data gateway is installed on a machine inside the local network and creates an outbound, encrypted connection to Azure Service Bus. Power Automate then routes SQL requests through this gateway, allowing the cloud flow to reach the internal SQL Server without exposing it to the internet. It is the standard mechanism for this exact requirement.
- ✗
A custom connector
Why it's wrong here
A custom connector wraps an existing REST API so Power Automate can call it, but it does not provide network access to a private on-premises database. Creating one would not bridge the connectivity gap to the internal SQL Server. The scenario requires a secure tunnel to the local network, which a custom connector alone cannot supply.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
This PL-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 PL-900 exam.