DP-420 Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty - Cloud Nerchuko

Introduction

The DP-420 certification is designed for developers and database professionals who build applications using Azure Cosmos DB, Microsoft’s globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database service. 

This certification validates your ability to design, implement, and monitor cloud-native applications that leverage Cosmos DB for performance, scalability, and availability.

It’s a Specialty-level certification, meaning it’s targeted at professionals with deep, specific expertise — especially those working on high-performance, globally distributed apps.

Learn Azure Cosmos DB at Cloud Nerchuko

Start studying about Azure Cosmos DB at Cloud Nerchuko or scroll down to check on Microsoft Documentations pages to start preparing for certification.

At my blog, you will learn basics which is helpful to get started on Azure Cosmos DB.

Learn about Azure Cosmos DB. You can find all the necessary Microsoft and other helpful documentation pages to get you started on coding using SDKs.

You can request developer access to explore Azure Cosmos DB, allowing you to write queries against existing containers, as well as create new containers and related resources directly through the Azure portal.

Time to expertise on Azure Cosmos DB NoSQL API: 2 - 3 months including hands-on expertise.


📘 Official Certification Page

🔗 DP-420 Certification Page – Microsoft Learn


Key Skills Measured / Main Topics to Study

Here are the major skill domains you’ll need to focus on for the exam:

1. Plan and Implement Data Models (20–25%)

  • Choose the appropriate API (SQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Gremlin, Table)

  • Design data models for read and write patterns

  • Implement partitioning and indexing strategies

  • Optimize data modeling for performance and cost

2. Design and Implement Data Distribution (5–10%)

  • Choose appropriate partition keys

  • Understand cross-partition queries and consistency levels

  • Implement multi-region writes and global distribution

3. Integrate an Azure Cosmos DB Solution (15–20%)

  • Integrate Cosmos DB with other Azure services (Functions, Event Hubs, etc.)

  • Handle data ingestion using SDKs, change feed, or Azure Data Factory

  • Use Cosmos DB SDKs (.NET, Java, Node.js, Python)

  • Implement bulk operations and transactional batch

4. Optimize and Monitor Performance (10–15%)

  • Monitor resource utilization and performance metrics

  • Use Azure Monitor and diagnostic logs

  • Tune throughput (RU/s), indexes, and queries

5. Design and Implement Security (10–15%)

  • Manage authentication and authorization

  • Implement network-level security (VNETs, firewalls)

  • Use customer-managed keys (CMK) and encryption

6. Design and Implement a Resilient Solution (10–15%)

  • Implement retry logic and failover strategies

  • Set up backup and restore

  • Understand consistency levels and durability

7. Design and Implement for the Lifecycle (10–15%)

  • Monitor performance and usage patterns

  • Implement cost-optimization strategies

  • Perform lifecycle management for containers and databases


Study Resources – Microsoft Learn

Microsoft Learn provides free learning paths tailored to the DP-420 exam:

  1. Design and implement a secure and scalable Cosmos DB solution

  2. Explore Azure Cosmos DB SQL API

  3. Implement data models and partitioning strategies

  4. Secure access to Azure Cosmos DB data

  5. Manage and monitor Azure Cosmos DB performance

  6. Implement change feed and integration


Practice Assessment (Free by Microsoft)

Writing a practice assessment is one of the smartest ways to sharpen your understanding before tackling the real exam. It helps you internalize key concepts, test your recall under pressure, and get familiar with the exam format.

Available on the certification page: Practice Assessment – Microsoft Learn

You can explore on other APIs of Cosmos DB. Read more on Cosmos APIs here.

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