Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-301) Practice Exam

To maintain historical transaction queries, what type of table is recommended?

1. A table with fixed capacity

2. A table with unlimited capacity

3. Multiple tables with fixed capacity

4. Multiple tables with unlimited capacity

The correct answer is: A table with unlimited capacity

The recommended approach for maintaining historical transaction queries is to use a table with unlimited capacity. This type of table can accommodate the growing volume of historical data generated over time, without the risk of reaching a predefined limit that could hinder the ability to store and query data effectively. In scenarios where historical transactions are preserved for auditing, reporting, or data analysis purposes, it is imperative to have a data storage solution that can adapt to increasing data loads. A table with unlimited capacity ensures that as new transactions are logged, they can be appended without concern for overflow, which is critical for historical data retention. This option is advantageous because it allows for scalability, ensuring that organizations can store all needed transactional data without needing to structure data into separate tables or allocate specific storage limits. This flexibility supports robust querying capabilities over extensive historical datasets, facilitating accurate analysis and reporting. Using fixed-capacity tables, whether alone or as multiple tables, can lead to complications such as hitting storage limits, necessitating manual data management processes, or creating complex architectures that increase maintenance overhead. Hence, for seamless and efficient transaction history management, a table with unlimited capacity is the most suitable choice.