How to Prepare Microsoft DP-203 Exam (Data Engineering On Microsoft Azure)
The goal of this blog is to provide a preparation guidance. It helps candidates to pass the Microsoft Azure data engineering certification exam(DP-203). I covered different aspects in this blog for data engineers. It helps candidates to add value, upskilling, exam tips, and training material for exam.
Why DP-203 -
Data Engineering jobs are in high demand. Getting a certification in the subject is a good way to learn ,deepen and prove your skills. Each cloud provider offers a certification specialized to their Data Engineering services. So getting certified adds a lot of value to your expertise and helps to progress your career.
Today, everything depends on thorough data analysis to understand the customer pain points. So that it identify new opportunities to gain market share. In such a challenging business landscape, it is critical for individuals and enterprises. To know how to integrate, transform, and join data across platforms. The Data Engineering on Microsoft to Azure certification (DP-203) is one such certification. It helps professionals to build some of the best analytics solutions. Some of the advantages as Microsoft mentions are as below.
- Increase in demand for Data Engineers. The CV with Microsoft Certification is globally recognized.
- Upon earning a certification, many candidates get job promotions. A lot of technical professionals say getting certified led to salary increases.
- In regards to job prospects and earning, a certification leads to a rampant gain in both.
Improvements in data engineer skills -
After preparing & passing for exam(DP-203), below are the improvements seen.
- Parallel processing and data architectural patterns.
- Integrating, transforming and consolidating data into a structure suitable for building analytics solutions.
- Helping stakeholders in understanding the data through exploration.
- Upskilling to build and maintain secure complaint data. Processing. pipeline by using different tools, techniques.
- Ensuring data pipelines and data stores are high performing, efficient, organized, reliable.
- Handling unanticipated issues and minimizing data loss.
- Designing, implementing, monitoring, securing and optimizing data platforms for meeting data pipeline needs.
- Data processing languages like SQL, Scala , Python.
- Providing cost effective solutions using Azure calculator and other services.
Prerequisites -
- Understanding of Azure fundamentals.
- At least 6–12 months of working experience in Azure cloud.
- Good knowledge of data processing languages such as SQL, Python, Scala.
Learning Path -
To get certified first candidate needs to learn to design. He should put in place data storage, data processing, data security and monitoring it. Please refer to the diagram below with 4 major topics for the DP 203 certification exam.
- Design and put in place data storage (40–45%)
- Design and develop data processing (25–30%)
- Design and put in place data security (10–15%)
- Watch and optimize data storage and data processing (10–15%)
Study Approach -
For working professionals, studying 2 hours daily should help to plan the preparation. Total duration required is approximately 2 months. Recommended sequence of preparation is as below -
- Go through Microsoft documentation . Along with it perform hands-on lab using sandbox VMs. Total time required for this is approximately 58 hrs.
- Go through the Udemy course prepared by Eshant Garg. Total time required for this is approximately 26 hrs.
- To check the type of questions go through Udemy Practice Tests and Github Practice tests . At the same time understand answers with concepts.
- Depending on the your practice test score you can make list of topics which you think needs to go through again.
- Go through the Udemy course(Eshant Garg) one more time(along with improvement topics) with high speed(1.5X).
Exam tips-
1] Enough Time-Time is not a pressing problem in the exam. You will have more than enough time to complete all questions. You can think and choose the right answer without worrying about the timeout.
2] Marking system-You are suppose to get 700 points out of 1000 points. But that does not mean getting 70% of the questions right. Why? Because different questions carry different points according to their level of difficulty. In multiple-choice answer questions, each right answer will get you some points.
3] No Negative Marking- Attempt all questions in the exam. In this exam there are no negative marks.
4] Process of elimination- I use this in every question in every exam. I first read the question, then look at what is not the correct answer. I can usually drop 50% of the answers immediately which helps a lot. Then I reread the question, ensuring I understand all the requirements. Then I work out which is the correct answer. In some cases, I have found the answer because I knew all the other answers were incorrect. (It helps to have a broad knowledge.)
5] Review questions-When you sit a Microsoft exam you have the option in each section. In some cases you select a Review question in a checkbox at the top left. Later come back to that question before you complete that section. I use it for the following reasons. Skip or come back to the questions you do not know and leave them till the end of that section. This can help build your confidence by getting through as many questions. This helps to reduce any nervousness you might have. Can’t come back-However there will be few questions in the exam which you have to answer once. That will be final, you can’t come back and change that answer. Show me the answer -Sometimes you may find the answer to your question in other questions.
6] Time management -You don’t want to spend too much time on a question you are struggling with. So tick Review and come back to it later.
7] Comments -You can mark the comment box for the question. For this question you have the opportunity to leave a comment at the end of your exam. If you get asked a question that is confusing. If you believe it may lead you to answer the question incorrect. Mark it as reviewed using comment. If it is a valid comment you may receive credit for the question. Which in some cases means you may go from an unsuccessful attempt to a pass score.
8] Case Studies — Some exams have case studies which can take some time to read through. My approach worked for them as well. I didn’t read the case study in the beginning. I look at the questions and I go back and read the relevant parts of the case study. My reasoning is it takes a long time to read it. I may read the information that is not relevant to the question or answers.
Conclusion- That’s it! This completes the DP-203 Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure Certification Preparation Guide. Best of luck !!!
