AZ-305 Question 77
Select 2A retail company processes real-time transaction data from point-of-sale devices (in semi-structured JSON files) and also needs to store large product images (unstructured data). They want rapid read access to the JSON documents for near real-time analytics and a cost-effective approach for storing and retrieving images. Which two Azure services would best meet these requirements?
- A
Azure Files
- B
Azure SQL Database
- C
Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management
- D
Azure Cosmos DB (Core (SQL) API)
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: C, D
Explanation
Using Azure Cosmos DB (Core (SQL) API) for semi-structured JSON data provides fast read/write performance and global distribution. Meanwhile, Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management effectively stores large unstructured files (product images) at a lower cost, especially when applying a tiered storage approach. These are recommended best practices as described in Microsoft's documentation on choosing appropriate data storage services (https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/architecture/guide/technology-choices/data-store-overview).
- A. Incorrect.
Option 1: Azure Files is primarily used for SMB file shares rather than highly scalable, near real-time JSON document storage or large unstructured data like images. While it can store files, it is not the most cost-effective or performance-optimized solution for the scenario described.
- B. Incorrect.
Option 2: Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service. While it can store semi-structured data using JSON columns, it is not as efficient or flexible as a NoSQL database for large-scale JSON documents, and storing images in the database can become expensive in terms of cost and performance.
- C. Correct.
Option 3: Azure Blob Storage with lifecycle management is well-suited for unstructured data, such as images. It allows you to automatically move data across access tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive) as usage patterns change, ensuring cost-effectiveness for rarely accessed images.
- D. Correct.
Option 4: Azure Cosmos DB (Core (SQL) API) is designed for globally distributed, near real-time access to JSON documents. It provides low latency, high availability, and automatic scaling, making it an ideal choice for storing and querying transaction data in semi-structured format.