Azure Cosmos DB Basics Practice Exam

Azure Cosmos DB Basics Practice Exam

About Azure Cosmos DB Basics Exam

Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed NoSQL database service designed for building highly scalable, globally distributed applications. It provides low-latency and high availability, making it ideal for modern web and mobile applications that require real-time performance and seamless scalability. With multi-model support, partitioning for unlimited scalability, and automatic indexing, Cosmos DB is becoming an essential tool for developers and data engineers working in cloud environments. Microsoft Azure’s Cosmos DB service enables users to manage large volumes of data, ensure high-speed data access, and handle peak-hour workloads efficiently. This course provides a deep dive into Cosmos DB architecture, partitioning strategies, indexing mechanisms, and global distribution. You will also learn security best practices, data management techniques, and monitoring tools to optimize database performance.

Skills Required

To successfully complete this course, learners should have:

• Basic knowledge of databases (SQL or NoSQL).
• An understanding of cloud computing concepts.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Azure (preferred but not mandatory).
• Problem-solving and analytical skills for database management.

Prior experience with Cosmos DB is not required, as the course starts from fundamental concepts and progresses to advanced topics.

Knowledge Area

This course provides in-depth training on:

• Understanding cloud computing and Azure cloud services.
• Learning the differences between SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Exploring various NoSQL database types and Microsoft Azure NoSQL offerings.
• Understanding Cosmos DB architecture, partitioning, and scalability techniques.
• Implementing data insertion, querying, indexing, and performance tuning.
• Using Cosmos DB for globally distributed applications.
• Ensuring database security, compliance, and monitoring best practices.

Who should take This Course?

This course is ideal for:

• Microsoft Azure data engineers looking to optimize Cosmos DB for enterprise solutions.
• Database administrators who want to migrate or manage data using Azure Cosmos DB.
• Business Intelligence (BI) developers working with large-scale data applications.
• Cloud architects and solution engineers designing highly available, globally distributed systems.
• Developers interested in integrating Cosmos DB into cloud applications.

Prerequisites:

• Basic understanding of databases (SQL or NoSQL).
• Familiarity with cloud computing concepts.

Course Content Overview

The Azure Cosmos DB Basics Exam covers the following topics - 

Domain 1. Introduction to the Course

• Overview of the course and its objectives.

Domain 2. Introduction to Azure Cloud Computing

• Setting up a free Azure subscription to access cloud services.
• Exploring the Azure portal and its key features.
• Understanding how to delete resources and set budgets to control costs.

Domain 3. Understanding NoSQL Databases

• Introduction to NoSQL databases and their applications.
• Comparing SQL and NoSQL databases and their use cases.
• Exploring four major types of NoSQL databases.
• Understanding NoSQL database options provided by Microsoft Azure.

Domain 4. Getting Started with Cosmos DB

• Understanding the evolution of Cosmos DB and the challenges it solves.
• Exploring the core features of Cosmos DB for modern applications.
• Learning about multi-model support and the five APIs available in Cosmos DB.
• Comparing Azure Table Storage with Cosmos DB for cloud-based data management.
• Creating and provisioning a Cosmos DB account in the Azure portal.

Domain 5. Understanding Cosmos DB Internals and Partitioning

• Exploring Cosmos DB’s database structure, containers, and data items.
• Understanding throughput, request units (RUs), and how they impact performance.
• Learning how Cosmos DB scales horizontally for unlimited scalability.
• Understanding partitioning strategies and the role of partition keys.
• Comparing dedicated throughput with shared throughput for optimal performance.
• Avoiding hot partitions by distributing data effectively.
• Understanding the differences between single-partition and cross-partition queries.
• Exploring composite keys and best practices for selecting a partition key.

Domain 6. Key Features of Cosmos DB

• Understanding automatic indexing and its benefits for fast queries.
• Demonstrating how to insert and query data in Cosmos DB.
• Exploring the Time to Live (TTL) feature for automatic data expiration.
• Understanding global distribution and how to deploy databases across multiple regions.
• Learning about multi-master configurations for high availability.
• Comparing manual failover with automatic failover for disaster recovery.
• Understanding Cosmos DB’s five consistency levels and their impact on performance.
• Using the Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) to manage Cosmos DB.
• Exploring Cosmos DB pricing models and how to optimize costs.

Domain 7. Monitoring and Security in Cosmos DB

• Using Azure Monitor (AMS) to track Cosmos DB performance.
• Monitoring database activity through the Cosmos DB account portal.
• Understanding security best practices, compliance, and privacy features.