If you drop a managed catalog table containing Delta Lake data, what will happen?

When you drop a managed catalog table containing Delta Lake data, both the table metadata and the associated data files are deleted. In the managed table scenario, the data is stored and managed entirely by the system, meaning that when the table is dropped, the entire infrastructure that's supporting that table is removed, including any related metadata within the catalog and the actual data files stored in the underlying storage.

This behavior is crucial for data management and governance, as it ensures that all associated resources are cleaned up altogether, preventing orphaned files that could consume storage space and lead to potential confusion or data integrity issues.

Other options may suggest partial deletion or retention of metadata or files which would not accurately reflect the managed nature of the table and the inherent clearing process that occurs when such a table is dropped.