Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900): Complete Study Guide

Core data concepts and Azure data services. DP-900 exam format, the four knowledge areas, relational vs non-relational vs analytics, and a 2-week study plan.

Practice 124 free Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals questions

Official exam page: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/azure-data-fundamentals/

Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) validates a foundational understanding of core data concepts and how they are implemented with Azure data services — relational, non-relational and analytics workloads. It is an excellent first step toward the Azure data and AI certifications.

Exam at a glance

• Format: 40–60 questions (multiple choice, drag-and-drop)
• Duration: about 45–60 minutes
• Cost: 99 USD (varies by region)
• Passing score: 700 out of 1000
• Validity: does not expire

Knowledge areas

1. Describe core data concepts — 25–30%. Relational vs non-relational data, transactional (OLTP) vs analytical (OLAP) workloads, common data roles and responsibilities.
2. Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — 20–25%. Azure SQL family (Azure SQL Database, Managed Instance, SQL Server on VMs), Azure Database for PostgreSQL/MySQL.
3. Describe considerations for non-relational data on Azure — 15–20%. Azure Cosmos DB and its APIs, Azure Blob and Table Storage, Azure Files.
4. Describe an analytics workload on Azure — 25–30%. Modern data warehousing, Azure Synapse Analytics, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Databricks, and visualization with Power BI.

Concepts to know

• OLTP vs OLAP and when each is appropriate
• Structured vs semi-structured vs unstructured data
• Azure SQL options and how to choose between them
• Cosmos DB APIs at a high level (NoSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Gremlin, Table)
• Analytics stack: Synapse, Fabric, Databricks, and Power BI roles

A study plan

• Week 1: Core data concepts and relational data on Azure.
• Week 2: Non-relational data and analytics workloads — then practice exams.

Exam-day tips

• Know the difference between transactional and analytical workloads — it underpins many questions.
• Be able to match a workload to the right Azure service (Azure SQL vs Cosmos DB vs Synapse).
• Understand the roles of database administrator, data engineer and data analyst.

Practice now

Use the free DP-900 questions below to verify you can connect data concepts to the right Azure service.