As a candidate for this certification, you should have subject matter expertise designing, implementing, and monitoring cloud-native applications that store and manage data.
Your responsibilities for this role include:
- Designing and implementing data models and data distribution.
- Loading data into an Azure Cosmos DB database.
- Optimizing and maintaining the solution.
As a professional in this role, you integrate the solution with other Azure services. You also design, implement, and monitor solutions that consider security, availability, resilience, and performance requirements.
As a candidate for this certification, you must have solid knowledge and experience with:
- Developing apps for Azure.
- Working with Azure Cosmos DB database technologies.
- Creating server-side objects with JavaScript.
You should be proficient at developing applications that use the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL API. You should be able to:
- Write efficient SQL queries for the API.
- Create appropriate indexing policies.
- Interpret JSON.
- Read C# or Java code.
- Use PowerShell.
Additionally, you should be familiar with provisioning and managing resources in Azure.
What's in it for you?
- Design and implement data models
- Design and implement data distribution
- Integrate an Azure Cosmos DB solution
- Optimize an Azure Cosmos DB solution
- Maintain an Azure Cosmos DB solution
Who should enroll?
Software Developer
Prerequisites
Required
- Experience writing in an Azure-supported language at the intermediate level. (C#, JavaScript, Python, or Java)
- AZ-900T00: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
- Knowledge of Microsoft Azure and ability to navigate the Azure portal
- Ability to write code to connect and perform operations on a SQL or NoSQL database product. (SQL Server, Oracle, MongoDB, Cassandra or similar)
Course Outline
Get started with Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Introduction to Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Try Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Create an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL account
Plan and implement Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Plan resource requirements
- Lesson: Configure Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL throughput
- Lesson: Moving data into and out of Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Configure throughput for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL with the Azure portal
- Lab – Migrate existing data using Azure Data Factory
Connect to Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL with the SDK
- Lesson: Import and use the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lesson: Configure the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Connect to Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL with the SDK
- Lab – Configure the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK for offline development
Access and manage data with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDKs
- Lesson: Implement Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL point operations
- Lesson: Perform cross-document transactional operations with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Process bulk data in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Create and update documents with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Batch multiple point operations together with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Move multiple documents in bulk with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
Execute queries in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Query the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Author complex queries with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Execute a query with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Paginate cross-product query results with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
Define and implement an indexing strategy for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Define indexes in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Customize indexes in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Review the default index policy for an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL container with the portal
- Lab – Configure an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL container's index policy with the portal
Integrate Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL with Azure services
- Lesson: Consume an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL change feed using the SDK
- Lesson: Handle events with Azure Functions and Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL change feed
- Lesson: Search Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL data with Azure Cognitive Search
- Lab – Process change feed events using the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Archive Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL data using Azure Functions
- Lab – Search data using Azure Cognitive Search and Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
Implement a data modeling and partitioning strategy for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Implement a non-relational data model
- Lesson: Design a data partitioning strategy
- Lab – Measure performance for customer entities
- Lab – Cost of denormalizing data and aggregates and using the change feed for referential integrity
Design and implement a replication strategy for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Configure replication and manage failovers in Azure Cosmos DB
- Lesson: Use consistency models in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Configure multi-region write in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Connect to different regions with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Configure consistency models in the portal and the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Connect to a multi-region write account with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
Optimize query and operation performance in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Optimize indexes in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Measure index performance in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Implement integrated cache
- Lab – Optimize an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL container’s index policy for common operations
- Lab – Optimize an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL container's index policy for a specific query
Monitor and troubleshoot an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL solution
- Lesson: Measure performance in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Monitor responses and events in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Implementing backup and restore for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Implement security in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Use Azure Monitor to analyze an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL account
- Lab – Troubleshoot an application using the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL SDK
- Lab – Recover a database or container from a recovery point
Manage an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL solution using DevOps practices
- Lesson: Write management scripts for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Create resource template for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Adjust provisioned throughput using an Azure CLI script
- Lab – Create an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL container using Azure Resource Manager templates
Create server-side programming constructs in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Build multi-item transactions with the Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lesson: Expand query and transaction functionality in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Lab – Create a stored procedure with the Azure Portal
- Lab – Implement and use user-defined functions with the SDK
Course FAQs
What is the DP-420 certification exam, and who should take it?
DP-420 is a certification exam focused on designing and implementing cloud-native applications using Azure Cosmos DB. It's ideal for developers, data architects, and data engineers who work with Azure Cosmos DB to create, maintain, and optimize cloud-based applications. The exam tests proficiency in data modeling, partitioning, scaling, and optimizing queries in Azure Cosmos DB environments.
What are the key skills measured in the DP-420 exam?
The DP-420 exam measures skills in four main areas:
- Design and implement data models and data distribution (30-35%)
- Integrate an Azure Cosmos DB solution (20-25%)
- Optimize an Azure Cosmos DB solution for performance (25-30%)
- Maintain an Azure Cosmos DB solution (10-15%) The focus is on building scalable, distributed applications, optimizing performance, and managing data with Azure Cosmos DB's multi-model database.
What are the prerequisites for taking the DP-420 exam?
While there are no formal prerequisites, it is recommended that candidates have:
- A solid understanding of Azure Cosmos DB
- Hands-on experience with distributed database design and query optimization
- Familiarity with Azure services and development tools, such as SDKs, APIs, and data management tools. Knowledge of other Azure certifications (like Azure Fundamentals or Developer Associate) can also be helpful.
What is Azure Cosmos DB, and why is it relevant for the DP-420 exam?
Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database service provided by Microsoft Azure. It offers support for multiple data models like key-value, graph, column-family, and document databases. The relevance of Cosmos DB in DP-420 is to assess candidates' ability to design scalable, highly available cloud-native applications using Cosmos DB’s features like automatic scaling, global distribution, and low-latency data access.
What is the best way to prepare for the DP-420 exam?
To prepare for DP-420, you should:
- Gain practical experience by working on real-world projects using Azure Cosmos DB.
- Study official Microsoft documentation and take the Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty learning path.
- Use hands-on labs to explore data partitioning, global distribution, and optimization techniques.
- Take practice exams to understand the exam structure and type of questions. Also, focus on case studies to understand how Azure Cosmos DB can be used to solve specific business challenges in cloud-native applications.
