The candidates for the Microsoft DP-900 test will be measured in a variety of technical skill areas. These domains are divided into several topics. It is recommended that the applicants review the exam topics in detail and choose the appropriate study materials to prepare for the test. Below are the highlights of the objectives covered in this certification exam:

• Explain Analytics Workloads on Azure: 25-30%

  This domain of the DP-900 exam measures one’s knowledge of analytics workloads, data processing, and ingestion on Azure, as well as the elements of modern data warehouses. The candidates will also be tested on their understanding of data visualization within Microsoft Power BI. This involves describing the specific role of dashboards, paginated reporting, interactive reports, and workflows in Power BI.

• Explain how Non-Relational Data Works on Azure: 25-30%

  The questions from this section will evaluate the understanding of the candidates in non-relational data workloads as well as non-relational data contributions on Azure. They must be able to explain Azure File storage, Azure Cosmos DB APIs, Azure Blob Storage, and Azure Table storage. They should also be able to identify the foundational management tasks for non-relational data.

• Explain the Concepts of Core Data: 15-20%

  Within this subject area, the students should be able to explain different categories of core data workloads that are available. To answer questions from this subtopic, the examinees should be able to explain batch data and streaming data. They should also know the attributes of relational data and core differences between streaming and batch data. It also covers their skills in core concepts of data analytics. This requires an understanding of data visualization, basic chart types, analytics techniques, data processing concepts, as well as ETL & ELT processing.

• Explain how Relational Data Works on Azure: 25-30%

  The test takers will be required to have the ability to describe some concepts in this topic, including relational data workloads and relational Azure data services. They will also need to know how to identify the basic management functions for relational data. Additionally, they need to possess a good understanding of how to use the SQL language to describe the query methods for data.

So, What Is the Verdict?

The Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals validation pushes candidates to secure a job as a data engineer, data analyst, database administrator, and developer. All of these positions will come with massive earnings and diverse career prospects. But, obtaining this Microsoft designation is going to be tricky since candidates need to go through DP-900 exam. Still, because of countless books found on Amazon plus the endorsed Microsoft preparation program, toppling this exam will become a simple walk in the park!

Helpful Books to Ace DP-900

By and large, candidates can incorporate the listed study guides from Amazon as they prepare for DP-900 so they have a better chance of passing the official test:

• ‘DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals: 110+ Exam Practice Questions with Detail Explanation and Reference Link’ by Analytiq Tech and Daniel Scott — this kindle guide contains more than 110 original and challenging sample questions for DP-900. What’s more is that each question is accompanied by detailed answers, which help students grasp why an answer is correct or incorrect, hence they can improve faster. In all, there are two entire mock tests in this e-book and the question type, time limit, structure, and passing score of those mock tests will exactly replicate that of DP-900, meaning students will receive the perfect practice. Taking mock tests such as these helps students assess their performance and identify the topics they are weak in. The question bank of this book is being constantly updated and improved using students’ feedback, and new items are added to the stock on a regular basis. The book even has an active Q&A forum online, where past and future candidates discuss the exam topics of DP-900 and share their test-taking experiences, all of which should facilitate further learning for potential candidates.
• ‘Exam Ref DP-900 Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals’ by Daniel Seara & Francesco Milano — this is the official paperback provided by Microsoft for DP-900 test. Both the authors of this book are experienced IT veterans who have spent decades working with countless technologies. The target audience for this book is IT professionals, functional consultants, and business users. Simply put, it focuses on the main concepts and skills one would need in order to provide data solutions using Microsoft Azure data services out in the real world. Plus, such material promotes critical thinking in learners so they will be able to make better decisions on the job. More so, this book comprehensively covers each and every topic that candidates need to know for their DP-900 tests. This official paperback is also packed with ‘what if’ questions to further challenge the learners and teach them how to solve real-world IT problems. To easily blaze through the pages of this revision guide, candidates must be familiar with working with cloud-related data, Microsoft Azure data services, and know all the basic data concepts.
• ‘DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals 2020 Practice Exam (Solved Practice Test 120+)’ by Eaze Teach — Eaze Teach is one of the largest online IT content providers in the world and they have study guides & mock tests for technical exams of numerous IT vendors such as Linux, Cisco, and Microsoft. Plus, Eaze Teach even provides training courses to IT workers to succeed in their job positions. This almost 150-page paperback from such a provider is loaded with practice tests consisting of 120+ original and challenging questions for the Microsoft exam DP-900. These practice tests are meant to exactly replicate the actual DP-900 test, hence the structure, question types, time limit, and passing score are the same as DP-900. Significantly, each question in this book has been created in accordance with the official exam syllabus issued by Microsoft for DP-900, meaning they’ll cover all the necessary topics. Taking the mock tests in this book is a great way to assess where the candidate currently stands in terms of exam preparation and advance accordingly. Furthermore, these mocks will also help candidates identify gaps in their knowledge.

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/dp-900

Exam Details

The Microsoft DP-900 exam has the following features:

• The number of questions is not disclosed but you should expect 40-60 items
• The registration for the test is done at Pearson VUE for non-students who are interested in technology and via Certiport for students or instructors.
• It costs $99. As for the job seekers impacted by the pandemic (COVID -19), they can schedule their exam for just $15.

Upon passing DP-900, you will earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals. It showcases that you have the foundational knowledge on core data concepts and how they can be implemented using Microsoft Azure. Note that Microsoft DP-900 will be updated on January 27, 2021.