Google ACE Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution Practice Question
A company wants to migrate an on-premises PostgreSQL database to Google Cloud. They require automated backups, point-in-time recovery, and a 99.95% availability SLA. Which service should they choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
ACE often tests the distinction between managed and self-managed database services, and candidates may incorrectly assume that Compute Engine with self-managed PostgreSQL can meet the SLA and automation requirements without additional management overhead.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL is a fully managed database service that supports automated backups, point-in-time recovery (PITR), and offers a 99.95% availability SLA when configured with high availability (HA). It is specifically designed for PostgreSQL workloads, making it the ideal choice for migrating an on-premises PostgreSQL database to Google Cloud while meeting the stated requirements. The service handles routine tasks like patching, replication, and backups, allowing the company to focus on their application.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Compute Engine with self-managed PostgreSQL
Why it's wrong here
Running PostgreSQL on Compute Engine places the burden of installation, patching, replication, and backups entirely on your team. You must build your own automated backup and point-in-time recovery (PITR) workflow, and operational best practices are manual. Google provides no managed SLA for the database itself; any 99.95% uptime requirement would depend solely on your architecture and maintenance procedures.
- ✓
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL is the managed relational database service natively compatible with PostgreSQL, so your existing schema, queries, and tools carry over. It automates daily backups with transaction log-based PITR by default, offers high availability via a regional failover replica, and carries a 99.95% SLA for the Standard and Enterprise editions. This directly satisfies the stated requirements without requiring you to operate the database infrastructure.
- ✗
Cloud SQL for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL for MySQL runs a different database engine, so it does not meet the explicit requirement to migrate an existing PostgreSQL database. While Cloud SQL provides managed backups and PITR, choosing MySQL would force you to rewrite schema, SQL queries, stored procedures, and application integrations, with risks of subtle behavioral incompatibilities. The engine name alone makes this option wrong regardless of backup or SLA features.
- ✗
Cloud Spanner
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner is a horizontally scalable, globally distributed relational database that offers strong consistency and a very high SLA, but it is designed for multi-region or sharded workloads. For a simple PostgreSQL migration, Spanner introduces unnecessary operational complexity, a different SQL dialect, and significantly higher cost per vCPU and storage. Its architecture and pricing are overkill for a single-source on-premises migration that Cloud SQL can handle.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Cloud Spanner Replication and TrueTime
Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
Key term
High availability
High availability is a system design approach that aims to keep applications and services operational and accessible with minimal downtime, even when some components fail.
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This ACE question is part of Courseiva's 775-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Google Cloud exam blueprint
This ACE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ACE exam.