AZ-305 Question 99
Single answerYou manage a large e-commerce platform that stores customer transactions on-premises in SQL Server, while web analytics data is collected in Azure Blob Storage. You need to integrate these two data sources so that the transaction data is updated and available in near real time in Azure for analytics. You plan to use Azure Data Factory as the primary orchestration tool with minimal disruption to the on-premises SQL Server. Which solution should you implement for the on-premises SQL Server data ingestion?
- A
Set up a daily scheduled copy activity to transfer all SQL Server data to Azure Blob Storage in one batch.
- B
Integrate Azure Data Factory with a Self-Hosted Integration Runtime and configure Change Data Capture for near real-time incremental loads from SQL Server.
- C
Use Azure Logic Apps to poll the SQL Server database for changes and push incremental updates to Azure Blob Storage.
- D
Create an ExpressRoute connection and rely on direct database replication to sync on-premises SQL Server to Azure.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Azure Data Factory, in conjunction with a Self-Hosted Integration Runtime, supports Change Data Capture to ingest only changed data from on-premises SQL Server. This approach minimizes load on your source system while ensuring near real-time updates in Azure, aligning with recommended best practices for data integration (see Microsoft Docs: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/data-factory).
- A. Incorrect.
Option 1 is incorrect. A daily scheduled batch transfer doesn’t meet the requirement for near real-time availability and would introduce higher latency.
- B. Correct.
Option 2 is correct. Azure Data Factory can use a Self-Hosted Integration Runtime to securely connect to on-premises SQL Server, and Change Data Capture (CDC) can be enabled to capture incremental updates for near real-time data ingestion, minimizing disruptions.
- C. Incorrect.
Option 3 is incorrect. While Logic Apps can automate workflows, it’s not the ideal tool for near real-time data ingestion at scale. ADF’s native connectors and CDC support are more appropriate and efficient for incremental loading.
- D. Incorrect.
Option 4 is incorrect. ExpressRoute provides a dedicated, high-speed network connection between on-premises and Azure, but it doesn’t inherently implement replication or near real-time data ingest. You would still need an orchestration pipeline like Azure Data Factory to move data effectively.