Google ACE Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution Practice Question
A company wants to set up a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance with automated backups and a read replica for disaster recovery. Which THREE features or configurations should be enabled?
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
✓
Enable automated backups
Automated backups are enabled by default but must be configured. A read replica requires the binary log to be enabled on the primary. The backup location can be set to multi-regional for DR. Cross-region replication requires a replica in another region. Point-in-time recovery uses binary logs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enable automated backups
Why this is correct
Automated backups in Cloud SQL are mandatory for point-in-time recovery (PITR) and for creating read replicas. Without them, you cannot perform a restore to a specific timestamp, and you lose the baseline backup needed for replica creation. They also provide a daily recovery point that protects against data loss or corruption.
- ✓
Enable binary logging
Why this is correct
Binary logging records every change to the database and is the mechanism that enables point-in-time recovery (PITR) and asynchronous replication. Read replicas use the binary log to replay changes from the primary, and PITR relies on these logs to replay transactions after the last automated backup. Without binary logging, both PITR and replicas fail.
- ✗
Enable deletion protection on the primary instance
Why it's wrong here
Deletion protection is a safety control that prevents accidental deletion of the instance, but it does not contribute to backup, recovery, or disaster recovery. It offers no data redundancy, no failover capability, and no way to restore lost data. It is an operational safeguard, not a DR mechanism, so it is irrelevant to the stated requirements.
- ✓
Configure the read replica in a different region
Why this is correct
For disaster recovery, the read replica must reside in a different region so that a regional outage does not take down both the primary and the replica. If the replica is in the same region, a regional failure can still cause full data unavailability and defeat the purpose of DR. Cross-region placement allows you to promote the replica to a new primary in a healthy region.
- ✗
Assign a public IP address to the read replica
Why it's wrong here
A public IP address exposes the read replica to the internet, which is unnecessary and increases the attack surface. Disaster recovery works perfectly over private networking, and Google Cloud recommends using private IPs for better security and reduced latency. Public IP is neither a prerequisite nor a benefit for replicating data or promoting a replica during DR.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Google Cloud Platform Overview
Key term
Cloud SQL
Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service that lets you set up, maintain, and scale SQL databases (like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server) in the cloud without managing the underlying infrastructure.
Key term
Region
A region is a distinct geographic location where a cloud provider operates multiple data centers that are connected by low-latency networks and provide cloud services.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.