A comprehensive guide to crack the Microsoft certification exam: DP-200 Implementing an Azure Data Solutions

Hello Readers! Welcome back.

Are planning to prepare for the DP-200 Implementing Azure Data Solutions certification exam? Then you have arrived at the right place. With the advent of role-based certifications, Microsoft has come up with specific data service certifications, code named as the DP series i.e., Data Platform series. The role-based certifications are at different levels: fundamentals, associate, and expert levels. Implementing Azure Data Solutions DP-200 is the associate level of the Data Platform series.

1. What to expect from this article?
   

   A curated list of material is available throughout this article, starting from the core concepts of Microsoft Azure, prerequisites for candidates, the exam pattern along with the module wise percentage of questions, and reference material. You will be seeing a lot of tips, and tricks to crack the exam. Moreover, self-learning portal links are available in the later sections. Follow them thoroughly to get an upper hand on the concepts and help the candidate emerge as a winner, with the coveted DP-200 certified badge from Microsoft.

2. Prerequisites:

   While the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 certification exam is compulsory for candidates taking the DP-200 exam, it is of utmost importance to know basic cloud concepts such as SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, Public, Private, and Hybrid cloud models. Understand the keywords such as High Availability, Scalability, Elasticity, Agility, and Fault Tolerance, and some examples related to them. For candidates with a background handling data, Microsoft Azure Data fundamentals DP-900 certificate is necessary but not mandatory. However, for somebody changing domains it could be important to have basic SQL knowledge.

3. Key Benefits of DP-200 Certification

   • Certification for role-based for Data Engineer is preferred by organizations hiring for senior-level roles
   • Candidates will get vast knowledge on implementing data on the cloud (Microsoft Azure) and how to work with it using Microsoft Azure services
   • Specifically, become a Data Engineer for modern data projects
   • IT market is flooded with jobs for people who work with data and use Microsoft Azure Services. Candidates having Microsoft certification badges in your CV have a huge advantage.
   • Certification is a way to let others know that your skills have been validated.

4. Exam Pattern

   The table below summarizes all additional information about the exam.
   

5. Topic Breakage for modules

   Questions are distributed across all the modules. There are four modules and the following is the percentage of questions for respective modules.

   • Implement Data Storage Solutions (40-45%)

   Questions in this module will be on implementing a solution that uses Cosmos DB, Data Lake Storage Gen2, or Blob storage, data distribution, and partitions. To implement data stores, provide access to data for security, high availability and disaster recovery, data distribution partitions for Azure Synapse Analytics and PolyBase. This module also includes managing data security.

   • Manage and Develop Data Processing (25-30%)

   From this module, the questions will arise on topics of developing batch data processing solutions using Data Factory, Azure Databricks, PolyBase. Azure Databricks implementation of clusters, notebooks, jobs, and autoscaling is included. Few questions will also be asked on developing stream solutions to implement event processing by using Stream Analytics.

   • Monitor and Optimize Data Solutions (30-35%)
     Various components of monitoring and optimizing data solutions are discussed in this module.

6. How to prepare for the exam

   There are various ways to prepare for this certification

   • Microsoft Learn Portal
   • Microsoft Documentation
   • Microsoft Official Courseware (MOC) are self-learning portals.
   • Instructor lead training is available, which can help you learn the Azure fundamentals with a structured approach.
   • Technical sources: more helpful
   • TestPrep-> prepare for the lab to answer more questions

   Check out the course link for additional information: https://cloudthat.in/courses/course/microsoft-azure-certification-bootcamp-for-dp-200-implementing-an-azure-data-solution/
   

   CloudThat also provides Test Prep for anyone attempting this course where unlimited access is provided to our library for Azure, MCQs, and performance tracker.

7. Tips and Tricks

   Few things to understand before attempting the final exam and to be able to sweep through smoothly.

   • Thoroughly brush Azure core concepts, Data fundamentals, etc before appearing for the exam
   • Appear for the exam right after attending the training, as the concepts are fresh in your mind.
   • While answering the questions, eliminate the wrong choices and choose the final answer.
   • If you find any complicated question can be attempted later and mark it for later after finishing the whole test.
   • There is no negative marking for the wrong answers, so attempt all the answers.
   • Take a deep breath before you dive in and remember everyone starts somewhere so there is provision for reattempts to the DP-200 exam.

8. Get certified now

   It is always great to get the right source of learning to Move Up. At CloudThat we have a course aimed at preparing participants/candidates for DP-200 Azure fundamentals. You can register by visiting the Microsoft website:
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/dp-200 

   If you have just begun your Microsoft Azure journey related to data in the cloud, then ‘Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900’ and ‘Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900’ will be a great start.  As DP-200 is the associate level exam in Data Platform Series, a basic understanding of Azure core concepts is paramount.

   Feel free to drop any questions in the comment box, I will be more than happy to answer your questions. I hope you enjoyed this article. Best of luck!

WRITTEN BY Anusha Shanbhag

Anusha Shanbhag is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Technical Content Writer specializing in technical content strategizing with over 10+ years of professional experience in technical content writing, process documentation, tech blog writing, and end-to-end case studies publishing, catering to consulting and marketing requirements for B2B and B2C audiences. She is a public speaker and ex-president of the corporate Toastmaster club.