AZ-305 Question 81
Single answerA global automotive manufacturer is designing a new solution to store sensor data from vehicles. The data is semi-structured (in JSON format), must be updated frequently, and needs to be accessed with low latency around the world. Which Azure service should you recommend for this requirement?
- A
Azure SQL Database
- B
Azure Blob Storage
- C
Azure Cosmos DB
- D
Azure Data Factory
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Azure Cosmos DB is the optimal choice for storing and querying highly variable, semi-structured data in globally distributed, low-latency scenarios. According to Microsoft documentation, Cosmos DB automatically indexes JSON data, provides multiple consistency levels, and allows for elastic scaling of throughput and storage. These characteristics make it well-suited for use cases requiring flexible schemas and frequent updates, such as sensor data ingestion.
- A. Incorrect.
Option 1: Azure SQL Database, Although Azure SQL Database can handle some semi-structured data (e.g., JSON columns), it is not optimized for highly variable schema or globally distributed, low-latency workloads. Frequent updates to semi-structured data would make relational schema management more complex.
- B. Incorrect.
Option 2: Azure Blob Storage, Blob Storage is cost-effective for storing large amounts of unstructured data such as media files or archival data. While you can store JSON files, Blob Storage does not provide the same level of indexing or querying capabilities for semi-structured data as a database. It is better suited for object storage rather than transactional, semi-structured data.
- C. Correct.
Option 3: Azure Cosmos DB, This service is designed for globally distributed applications that need millisecond latency at any scale. It supports semi-structured data effectively (especially JSON) and offers multiple APIs (Core (SQL) API, MongoDB API, etc.) for flexible data models. It is purpose-built for scenarios requiring fast writes, global replication, and schema flexibility.
- D. Incorrect.
Option 4: Azure Data Factory, This is primarily a data integration and orchestration service. It is not intended to be a primary data store. While you can use Data Factory to move and transform data, it would not be the recommended standalone storage solution for frequently updated semi-structured data.