Data Engineering Associate with Databricks Practice Exam

What is the default retention period for vacuuming files in Databricks?

1. 30 days

2. 7 days

3. 14 days

4. 1 day

The correct answer is: 7 days

The default retention period for vacuuming files in Databricks is 30 days. This means that when you perform a vacuum operation, Databricks considers files that are more than 30 days old for deletion. This retention policy helps to ensure that users have ample time to recover data or manage files that may still be in use or needed before they are permanently removed. In scenarios where data needs to be retained for a more extended period due to compliance or operational needs, you can configure the retention period according to your specific requirements. The purpose of having a default retention period is to balance the need for storage space optimization with data accessibility for a reasonable amount of time. Therefore, it’s crucial to remember that while other options like 7 days, 14 days, and 1 day may be applicable in different contexts or configurations, the standard default in Databricks for vacuum retention is actually 30 days, providing assurance against the loss of recently changed data and allowing users time to manage their Delta Lake tables effectively.