Google ACE Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution Practice Question
A data analyst wants to import a SQL dump file from a Cloud Storage bucket into an existing Cloud SQL database. Which command should they use?
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
✓
gcloud sql import sql my-instance gs://my-bucket/dump.sql --database=mydb
The correct command is 'gcloud sql import sql <instance> gs://<bucket>/<file> --database=<db>'. This imports a SQL dump file. The other commands either use wrong syntax or wrong import type (csv for CSV files).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
gcloud sql instances import my-instance gs://my-bucket/dump.sql --database=mydb
Why it's wrong here
The 'gcloud sql instances' command group is responsible for lifecycle operations on the instance itself, such as create, delete, patch, and describe. It does not contain an 'import' action; importing data is a separate resource under 'gcloud sql import' with subcommands for each file format. Attempting this syntax will result in an error because 'instances' does not have an 'import' subcommand.
- ✓
gcloud sql import sql my-instance gs://my-bucket/dump.sql --database=mydb
Why this is correct
This is the correct command. 'gcloud sql import sql' explicitly tells the Cloud SQL API that the source file is a SQL dump (typically generated by mysqldump or pg_dump). The arguments specify the instance name, the Cloud Storage URI of the dump file, and the target database using the --database flag. This syntax works for both MySQL and PostgreSQL instances and is the standard way to import SQL dump files.
- ✗
gcloud sql import csv my-instance gs://my-bucket/dump.sql --database=mydb
Why it's wrong here
The 'csv' subcommand is used only for importing CSV files, which have a different format and require additional flags like --table to identify the target table. A SQL dump file contains executable SQL statements (CREATE, INSERT, etc.), not comma-separated raw data, so using the CSV subcommand would cause the import to fail or produce corrupt results. The format of the source file must match the subcommand, which is why 'sql' is required here.
- ✗
gcloud sql databases import my-instance gs://my-bucket/dump.sql
Why it's wrong here
This command is invalid because 'databases' is not a valid command group under 'gcloud sql' that supports an 'import' action. The correct parent group is 'gcloud sql import', which then takes a format subcommand ('sql' or 'csv'). Additionally, the command is missing the required --database flag and the format specifier, making it syntactically incomplete and non-functional.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Google Cloud Platform Overview
Key term
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a service that lets you save data on remote servers accessed over the internet instead of on your computer's hard drive.
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.
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JA
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.