3.5. Reflection Checkpoint: Relational Data Mastery

Key Takeaways

Before proceeding, ensure you can:

• Explain the difference between TDE and Always Encrypted (who can see data, where keys live)
• Identify which service provides Data Lineage (Microsoft Purview)
• Distinguish DDL from DML commands and give examples of each
• Choose between SQL on VM, Managed Instance, and SQL Database based on feature requirements
• Explain why normalization prevents anomalies and when you'd deliberately denormalize

Self-Assessment Questions

1. A company needs SQL Server Agent for scheduled jobs. Which Azure SQL option must they choose? (Answer: Managed Instance or SQL on VM)
2. What's the difference between DROP TABLE and DELETE FROM Table? (Answer: DDL vs. DML; structure deletion vs. row deletion)
3. If a DBA should not be able to see credit card numbers even when running queries, which feature is required? (Answer: Always Encrypted)

Connecting Forward

In Phase 4, you'll explore non-relational data—storage solutions for data that doesn't fit neatly into tables. You'll see how Azure Blob Storage handles unstructured data, how Cosmos DB provides global distribution, and when to choose NoSQL over relational approaches.