Databricks Data Engineer Associate Question 246
Single answerA data engineer is creating a new table in Databricks to store customer transactional data. The team needs the table to persist even if the underlying data files are deleted, and they want Databricks to manage the storage and metadata for the table. Which type of table should the data engineer create?
- A
Managed table
- B
External table
- C
Delta table
- D
Temporary view
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Managed tables in Databricks are fully controlled by the platform. Databricks manages the storage, metadata, and lifecycle of these tables, ensuring persistence even if underlying data files are modified or deleted. This makes managed tables the suitable choice for the described scenario, whereas external tables rely on external storage and are not managed by Databricks.
- A. Correct.
This is correct because a managed table is fully managed by Databricks. If the underlying data files are deleted, the table and its metadata still persist, as Databricks handles all the storage and metadata management.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because an external table stores its data outside of Databricks' managed storage. If the underlying data files are deleted, the table will no longer function.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because a Delta table refers to a storage format (Delta Lake) rather than the management model of the table. Delta tables can be either managed or external.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because a temporary view is ephemeral and only exists for the duration of the session. It is not a persistent storage solution.