Drill practice questions on the core terms.
Passers who worked through a large question bank and focused on terms like OLTP and OLAP, Azure SQL options and Cosmos DB APIs said the real exam matched their practice closely.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) Exam Guide
Validates foundational knowledge of core data concepts, relational and non-relational data, and analytics workloads on Azure.
DP-900 checks that you can tell data types and workloads apart and pick the right Azure data service for a simple need. Work through one course, look at the main services in the portal, then use practice questions to learn how Microsoft words the choices.
Understand the exam
Syllabus
Describe core data concepts25–30%
- Describe ways to represent data
- Identify options for data storage
- Describe common data workloads
- Identify roles and responsibilities for data workloads
Example scenario: A shop stores each sale the moment it happens and builds a monthly sales report from those records. Which part is transactional and which is analytical?
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure20–25%
- Describe relational concepts
- Describe relational Azure data services
Example scenario: A company is moving an on-premises SQL Server that uses SQL Agent jobs and wants as little change as possible. Which Azure SQL option fits?
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure15–20%
- Describe the capabilities of Azure storage
- Describe the capabilities and features of Azure Cosmos DB
Example scenario: An app team already uses MongoDB and wants a managed, globally distributed service without rewriting queries. What would you recommend?
Describe an analytics workload25–30%
- Describe common elements of large-scale analytics
- Describe considerations for real-time data analytics
- Describe data visualization in Microsoft Power BI
Example scenario: A factory wants a dashboard that updates within seconds as machine sensor readings arrive. Is that batch or streaming, and what kind of service handles it?
DP-900 study guide · Skills measured as of July 21, 2026
Format
- Questions
- 40–60
- Duration
- 45 min
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Delivery
- Test centre or online
- Languages
- English, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Question types
Choose the best answer from the options, or the stated number of answers when a question asks for more than one.
CertUp example
A company needs to store product catalog items that have different fields and must be read quickly from many regions. Which service fits best?
Show answer
A. Cosmos DB stores flexible documents and replicates them across regions.
Drag items from a list into the matching places; an item can be used once, more than once or not at all.
CertUp example
Drag each file format to its description. The descriptions are text with comma-separated values, nested key-value text, and columnar binary files built for analytics.
Show answer
Text with comma-separated values → CSV, nested key-value text → JSON, columnar binary files for analytics → Parquet.
Pick one value from each drop-down list in a block of text or a diagram to complete it.
CertUp example
Select the correct value in each list. A table that holds sales orders is [transactional / analytical] data, and a column that uniquely identifies each row is a [primary key / foreign key].
Show answer
Transactional and primary key. Orders are recorded as they happen, and a primary key identifies each row.
Eligibility and booking
Sign in to Microsoft Learn with a personal Microsoft account, complete your certification profile, then schedule DP-900 with Pearson VUE. Students and educators can schedule through Certiport.
Make a study plan
Read the study guide skill list, take the free practice assessment once, then work through one course.
Most candidates spend 10–30 hours. Plan for the low end if you already work with databases or data; plan for the high end if data concepts and Azure are both new to you.
- 1Understand the examRead the syllabus and format, check you’re eligible and pick a target date.1 h
- 3Learn the core conceptsWork through one main course or book, topic by topic.8 h
- 4Practice with mock examsTake timed practice tests and review every mistake.5 h
- 5Prepare for exam dayBook the exam and check the ID and delivery rules.1 h
Learn the core concepts
One course covers the whole outline. Use Microsoft Learn to check details.
Best free courseMicrosoft Learn: DP-900 course
Best quick video courseDP-900 Azure Data Fundamentals Exam PreparationBest for beginnersDP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals in a WeekendLearn the pairs. Many questions turn on pairs such as transactional versus analytical, batch versus streaming, and SQL Database versus SQL Managed Instance. Write one line on when each applies.
Practice with mock exams
Take Microsoft's free practice assessment first, then a paid set if you want more questions. Read the explanation for every answer you got wrong or guessed.
Free official checkDP-900 Practice Assessment
Practice Test DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals
Microsoft Azure DP-900 Practice TestsAre you ready?
- You can classify data as structured, semi-structured or unstructured from an example.
- You can name the Azure service for a relational, document, file or streaming need.
- You finish a practice set comfortably and can explain your wrong answers.
Prepare for exam day
Choose the checklist for your test-centre or online appointment.
Before going to the test centre
Before testing from home
- Bring a current government-issued ID whose name matches your Microsoft certification profile exactly.
- Arrive early enough to check in and store your belongings.
- Allow about 65 minutes of seat time for 45 minutes of questions.
- Run the OnVUE system test on the same computer, network and room you will use. Use a wired connection if you can.
- Use a walled room with a closed door. Clear the desk of notes, pens and extra screens, and keep your phone out of reach.
- Check in from 30 minutes before your appointment. You photograph your ID and workspace with your phone.
- You can take a break, but the clock keeps running and you cannot return to questions you saw before it.
- If you fail, you can retake after 24 hours. Later retakes need 14 days between attempts.
Advice from exam takers
Take AZ-900 first if Azure is new.
Candidates who took both say DP-900 draws on AZ-900 basics such as regions and service models, so they suggest AZ-900 first for complete beginners.
Use a wired connection online.
One candidate's online exam had to be relaunched three times because of a loading problem, and they recommend a wired connection rather than Wi-Fi.