DP-420 Certification Exam Guide + Practice Questions Updated 2026

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Comprehensive DP-420 certification exam guide covering exam overview, skills measured, preparation tips, and practice questions with detailed explanations.

DP-420 Exam Guide

This DP-420 exam focuses on practical knowledge and exam application scenarios related to the subject area. It evaluates your ability to understand core concepts, apply best practices, and make informed decisions in realistic situations rather than relying solely on memorization.

This page provides a structured exam guide, including exam focus areas, skills measured, preparation recommendations, and practice questions with explanations to support effective learning.

 

Exam Overview

The DP-420 exam typically emphasizes how concepts are used in professional environments, testing both theoretical understanding and practical problem-solving skills.

 

Skills Measured

  • Understanding of core concepts and terminology
  • Ability to apply knowledge to practical scenarios
  • Analysis and evaluation of solution options
  • Identification of best practices and common use cases

 

Preparation Tips

Successful candidates combine conceptual understanding with hands-on practice. Reviewing measured skills and working through scenario-based questions is strongly recommended.

 

Practice Questions for DP-420 Exam

The following practice questions are designed to reinforce key DP-420 exam concepts and reflect common scenario-based decision points tested in the certification.

Question#1

You have a container named container! in an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL account.
You need to provide a user named User1 with the ability to insert items into container1 by using role-based access The solution must use the principle of least privilege.
Which roles should you assign to User1?

A. Cosmos DB Built-in Data Contributor only
B. Cosmos DB Operator only
C. DocumentDB Account Contribute only
D. DocumentDB Account Contributor and Cosmos DB Built-in Data Contributor

Explanation:
The Cosmos DB Built-in Data Contributor role provides the necessary permissions to insert items into a container in an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL account. This role grants the minimum required privileges for the described task, adhering to the principle of least privilege.

Question#2

You need to identify which connectivity mode to use when implementing App2. The solution must support the planned changes and meet the business requirements.
Which connectivity mode should you identify?

A. Direct mode over HTTPS
B. Gateway mode (using HTTPS)
C. Direct mode over TCP

Explanation:
Scenario: Develop an app named App2 that will run from the retail stores and query the data in account2. App2 must be limited to a single DNS endpoint when accessing account2.
By using Azure Private Link, you can connect to an Azure Cosmos account via a private endpoint. The private endpoint is a set of private IP addresses in a subnet within your virtual network.
When you're using Private Link with an Azure Cosmos account through a direct mode connection, you can use only the TCP protocol. The HTTP protocol is not currently supported.
Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/how-to-configure-private-endpoints

Question#3

Which Azure service is recommended to use with Cosmos DB to send notifications about product updates?

A. Azure Logic Apps
B. Azure Functions
C. Azure Service Bus
D. Azure Event Grid

Question#4

HOTSPOT
You have an Azure subscription that contains an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL account. You create a container and assign the following indexing policy.



You run the queries shown in the following table.



For each of the following statements, select yes if the statement is true. Otherwise, select No NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.


A. 

Question#5

HOTSPOT
You are developing an application that will connect to an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL account. The account has a single readme region and one agonal read region. The regions are configured for automatic failover.
The account has the following connect strings. (Line numbers are included for reference only.)



For each of the following statements, select Yes if the statement is true. otherwise, select No. NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.


A. 

Explanation:
If the primary write region fails, applications that write to the database must use a different connection string to continue to use the service. = NO
You do not need to use a different connection string to continue to use the service if the primary write region fails. This is because Azure Cosmos DB supports automatic failover, which means that it will automatically switch the primary write region to another region in case of a regional outage2. The application does not need to change the connection string or specify the failover priority3. The connection string contains a list of all the regions associated with your account, and Azure Cosmos DB will route the requests to the appropriate region based on the availability and latency1.
The primary Read-Only SQL Connection String and the Secondary Read-Only SQL Connection String will connect to different regions from an application running in the East US Azure region = Yes
The primary read-only SQL connection string and the secondary read-only SQL connection string will connect to different regions from an application running in the East US Azure region. This is because the primary read-only SQL connection string contains the endpoint for the East US region, which is the same as the primary write region. The secondary read-only SQL connection string contains the endpoint for the West US region, which is the additional read region. Therefore, if an application running in the East US Azure region uses these connection strings, it will connect to different regions depending on which one it chooses.
Applications can choose from which region by setting the PreferredLocations property within their connection properties = Yes
Applications can choose from which region by setting the PreferredLocations property within their connection properties. This property allows you to specify a list of regions that you prefer to read from based on their proximity to your application2. Azure Cosmos DB will route the requests to the appropriate region based on the availability and latency1. You can also set the ApplicationRegion property to the region where your application is deployed, and Azure Cosmos DB will automatically populate the PreferredLocations property based on the geo-proximity from that location1.

Disclaimer

This page is for educational and exam preparation reference only. It is not affiliated with Microsoft, Microsoft Certified: Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty, or the official exam provider. Candidates should refer to official documentation and training for authoritative information.

Exam Code: DP-420Q & A:  199  Q&As Updated:  2026-08-31

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