Azure · Exam difficulty
Is the Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) exam hard?
Short answer: no — it's one of the easiest Microsoft exams. But it's a vocabulary test, and similar-sounding Azure data services cost careless candidates the pass.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) covers core data concepts and how Azure implements them: relational and non-relational data, and analytics workloads. It's a common first step towards data engineer or data analyst roles.
The honest difficulty rating
Easy. No coding beyond recognising basic SQL, no architecture design. Most people with an IT background pass after short, focused preparation. People fail when they rely on general data knowledge and skip learning which Azure service does what.
The exam at a glance
- Questions: typically 40–60.
- Time: 45 minutes.
- Passing score: 700 / 1000.
- Question types: multiple choice, drag and drop, yes/no statements, drop-down completion.
- Cost: about $99 (varies by country).
- Validity: Microsoft fundamentals certifications don't expire.
What the exam covers
- Core data concepts (25–30%) — structured vs. semi-structured vs. unstructured data, OLTP vs. OLAP, data roles.
- Relational data on Azure (20–25%) — Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, SQL on VMs, open-source databases.
- Non-relational data on Azure (15–20%) — Blob, Files, Table storage, Cosmos DB and its APIs.
- Analytics workloads on Azure (25–30%) — data warehousing, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Databricks, real-time analytics, Power BI.
What actually trips people up
Azure SQL family
When to use Azure SQL Database vs. SQL Managed Instance vs. SQL Server on a VM — it comes down to compatibility and how much you want to manage.
Cosmos DB APIs
NoSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Gremlin, Table — know which data model each one serves.
Batch vs. streaming
Which services handle real-time data, and the difference between a data lake, a data warehouse and a lakehouse.
Power BI basics
Reports vs. dashboards, and which visual fits which question.
How long to study
One to two weeks. Work through the free Microsoft Learn path for DP-900, then switch to practice questions.
How to know you're ready
When you consistently score above 80% on practice exams. Check yourself with our free DP-900 practice questions.
Heading towards Databricks next? Read Is the Databricks Data Engineer Associate exam hard?
Practice exams
Pass DP-900 on the first try
Realistic practice exams aligned with the current DP-900 skills outline — every answer explained.
Get DP-900 Practice Exams on Udemy →Full question banks on Udemy · free sample questions here need no signup
Common questions
Is DP-900 hard?
No. It's foundational, but you must know the Azure data services by name and purpose.
Do I need to know SQL?
Only basics: recognise SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DDL vs. DML.
Is DP-900 worth it?
It's a cheap, quick entry into data roles and a good base for Fabric or Databricks certifications.
Does DP-900 expire?
No. Microsoft fundamentals certifications don't expire.
