The correct scenario to use an external table is when the data must be stored in a specific external location (e.g., cloud storage) and retain the data even if the table is dropped. Managed tables store data in a system-managed location, and their data is deleted upon table deletion. Here, the engineer wants explicit control over the storage path in an external location.

• Option A: Correct. External tables allow specifying a custom LOCATION path in an external storage. This ensures the data resides in the specified path and persists after table deletion.
• Option B: Incorrect. External tables do not use a "managed location" in their schema; this terminology applies to managed tables. The LOCATION clause is used instead.
• Option C: Incorrect. Managed tables use the catalog's default managed storage path. Even if the catalog points to an external root, the table's path is system-determined, not explicitly specified.
• Option D: Incorrect. Managed tables cannot have a user-specified LOCATION; specifying a custom path implicitly creates an external table, not a managed one.