Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect ExpertDesign data storage solutionsMedium

A global online gaming company needs to store player session data, including real-time game events, player achievements, and in-game purchases. This data is high-volume, high-velocity, and requires low-latency read and write access globally. The company also needs to ensure eventual consistency across all regions. Which Azure data storage solution is most suitable for this scenario?

  1. AAzure SQL Database
  2. BAzure Data Lake Storage Gen2
  3. CAzure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server
  4. DAzure Cosmos DB (Core SQL API)
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D. Azure Cosmos DB (Core SQL API)

Azure Cosmos DB (Core SQL API) is a globally distributed, multi-model database service that offers low-latency access, high throughput, and automatic scaling, making it ideal for high-volume, globally distributed data with eventual consistency needs like player session data.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Azure SQL Database is a relational database and is not optimized for global distribution with eventual consistency and high-velocity, high-volume data at the scale required.
  • B. Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 is primarily for big data analytics and data warehousing, not for transactional, low-latency, globally distributed operational data.
  • C. Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server is a relational database service, not designed for global distribution with eventual consistency and high-velocity, high-volume data on a global scale.

Azure Cosmos DB (Core SQL API)

A globally distributed, multi-model database service that offers turn-key global distribution, elastic scaling of throughput and storage, and guaranteed low-latency access at the 99th percentile.

  • Supports multiple APIs (SQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Gremlin, Table)
  • Offers 5 well-defined consistency models
  • Guarantees single-digit millisecond latencies

Memory trick: Cosmos DB: Your data, everywhere, instantly.

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