In Unity Catalog, an external table is defined by referencing data that already exists in cloud storage, and Databricks documentation states that this is done by using a LOCATION clause that points to the storage path. Databricks also notes that the external table’s path should be contained within an existing external location that has been configured with the appropriate storage credential and access permissions. This makes option A the correct choice. Option B is incorrect because simply calling something “unmanaged” without specifying a location does not create a proper Unity Catalog external table. Option C is also incorrect because Databricks documentation explicitly requires a storage location for Unity Catalog external tables. Option D is wrong because managed tables are intended for Databricks-managed storage and lifecycle handling, not for referencing existing external files. So, for ADLS-based data that must remain in place while still being queryable through Databricks, the right pattern is to configure the external location and then create the table with a CREATE TABLE ... LOCATION statement.

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