Preparing for and Taking Microsoft Exam DP-201 (Designing an Azure Data Solution)

On January 31st, 2019, Microsoft released two new Azure Data exams: Implementing an Azure Data Solution (DP-200) and Designing an Azure Data Solution (DP-201). If you pass both of these exams, you become a Microsoft Certified Azure Data Engineer Associate. On June 17th, 2019, I passed DP-201: Designing an Azure Data Solution! Yay 🥳

In this post, I share how I prepared for the exam and what my experience was like on the day of the exam.

(I have previously also written about Exam DP-200. )

Important Updates

I passed exam DP-201 in June 2019, and published this post based on that version of the exam.

As of August 31st, 2021, Exam DP-200 and DP-201 are retired and replaced by Exam DP-203: Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure.

You may still find the content in this post relevant, but make sure you reference the latest skills measured before you start studying.

Preparing for Microsoft Exam DP-201: Designing an Azure Data Solution

Preparing for this exam started back in February 2019, when I started studying for the DP-200 exam. There were no courses, practice exams, or books available at that time. Instead, I relied heavily on Microsoft Learn and a lot of hands-on experience.

In short, this is how I prepared:

• Complete Microsoft Learning Paths for Azure Data Engineers
• Read and Reference the Azure Docs
• Review Azure Solution Architectures
• Watch SQLBits Session Recordings

I then took the DP-200 exam. This got me about 90% of the way for this exam as well. After that, I shifted my focus to the DP-201 exam:

• Understand Skills Measured in Exam DP-201
• Work through the DP-201 labs on Github
• Review Microsoft Customer Stories

Below, you can find more details about how I prepared with links to all the resources I used.

(If you are simply looking for information about exam questions and answers, please leave. Sharing or using that kind of information is a violation of the Microsoft Exam Policy and Non-Disclosure Agreement.)

Skills Measured in Exam DP-201

Every time I study for a Microsoft exam, my first step is always to check the skills measured. It helps me understand the scope of the exam, as well as the products and technologies covered. It is basically a pre-written checklist.

The DP-201 exam skills measured is divided into main sections with several subsections and details. It tells you what you need to be able to do.

However, I found this exam more difficult to prepare for because it was less… hands-on. (That’s why this post is much shorter than the DP-200 post.) For example, in DP-200, a skill measured was “create linked services and datasets”. In DP-201, a skill measured was “design batch processing solutions by using Data Factory”. What does this really mean? What are they measuring? How?

Now, after taking both exams, I look at them almost as two parts of the same exam. DP-200 is focused on the implementation and doing, while DP-201 is focused more on the understanding and usage of the technologies.

Taking Microsoft Exam DP-201: Designing an Azure Data Solution

The first step of taking the exam is to accept and sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Because of that, I can’t say anything about the exam itself. Instead, I want to share some of my tips and advice, based on my own experiences.

You can find more information in Microsoft’s Certification Exam Policies and FAQs.

Exam Time

I had a total of 210 minutes for the exam. 180 minutes were for answering questions. The remaining 30 minutes were for reading instructions, signing the NDA, and providing feedback afterwards.

During the exam, you will see a big timer on the screen that shows how much time you have left. You will also see how many total questions you have to answer. Make sure you have enough time for all questions. According to Microsoft, exams usually have 40-60 questions. For a 180-minute exam, that means you have 3-5 minutes per question.

If you feel stuck on a question, I recommend that you mark it for review and return to it later. It’s better to get that one question wrong than not having time to answer the last five questions.

Question Types

The question types can include case studies, repeated answer choices, single choice, multiple choice, drop-down lists, build lists, drag-and-drop, and more.

Question Text

My tip is to read all questions bottom-up or from the end. Start by identifying the actual question, then look at the answer alternatives. Finally, work your way through the entire question text and all background information to find keywords, hints, and information to support the answer you think is correct.

The reason I share this tip is that you often get presented with a lot of background information, especially in the case studies. They usually describe all parts of a larger solution. By identifying the question first, you can focus in on the relevant content while reading.

Help! I don’t know the answer!

Even after all your hours of preparation, you might come across a question that takes you by surprise. I got a couple of these questions. My best advice is to use the elimination method to narrow down the options to the most likely answer. If that doesn’t help… take your best guess 😅 You will not be penalized for wrong answers. You simply don’t earn some or all of the possible points.

Pick the answer that sounds most likely or logical, and move on to the next question. Remember that you don’t need 100% to pass the exam, so don’t worry too much about a single question.

Don’t overthink!

Finally, don’t overthink it. There are no “it depends” answers in the Microsoft certification exam world. Even though I wish I could add “yes, but, if…” to many of my answers, you can’t. You need to go in with a mindset that there is either a right answer, or a best answer.

Read the text and stay as objective as possible. Use the facts in the question to make your decision, and don’t fall into the “it depends” trap. If you’re unsure, pick the best answer. Again, don’t get stuck on any questions. Go back and review them at the end. You may even answer some other questions in the meantime that may trigger your memory.

Summary

Start with my Preparing for and Taking Microsoft Exam DP-200 post. In that post, I share all the resources I found and used. Then, review the official exam overview page. Always check the latest official information from Microsoft before your exam.

In total, I spent somewhere between 50-75 hours preparing for the DP-200 exam. Then I spent another 10-15 hours preparing for the DP-201 exam. That does not include the time spent getting hands-on experience working on real projects.

My key takeaway and final piece of advice is to work through the entire list of skills measured. This will help prepare you for the exam, but you will also be confident that you have the skills needed to implement Azure Data Solutions in the real world.

Good luck! You can do this 🙌🏻

About the Author

Cathrine Wilhelmsen is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, international speaker, author, blogger, organizer, and chronic volunteer. She loves data and coding, as well as teaching and sharing knowledge - oh, and sci-fi, gaming, coffee and chocolate 🤓