Cloud Digital Leader Google Cloud Products and Services Practice Question
A company wants to migrate its on-premises PostgreSQL database to Google Cloud with minimal downtime. They also need the ability to perform point-in-time recovery. Which TWO services or features should they use? (Choose two.)
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 supports database migration and point-in-time recovery. Database Migration Service provides for minimal-downtime migrations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL is the correct target because it is Google Cloud's fully managed relational database service that is natively compatible with the PostgreSQL engine. This means your existing schema, queries, stored procedures, and database tools can be used with minimal modification, providing a straightforward lift-and-shift path from on-premises PostgreSQL to a managed cloud environment. It also offers automated backups, high availability, and scaling, which are key benefits for production migrations.
- ✗
Cloud Spanner
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner is not the right choice because it is a horizontally scalable relational database with its own SQL dialect, not a PostgreSQL-compatible engine. While it supports the SQL standard, it does not accept all PostgreSQL-specific functions, data types, or PL/pgSQL syntax, so migrating would require significant schema redesign and query rewriting. Spanner is suited for global, strongly consistent applications, but not for a direct migration of an existing PostgreSQL workload.
- ✗
Cloud SQL for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL for MySQL is incorrect because the source database is PostgreSQL, and MySQL is a different relational database engine. Migrating from PostgreSQL to MySQL would require converting data types, rewriting queries, and altering the application logic, introducing risk and unnecessary complexity. Cloud SQL also offers a dedicated PostgreSQL service, so there is no reason to target MySQL when you can preserve the original engine.
- ✓
Database Migration Service
Why this is correct
Database Migration Service is the correct migration tool because it is specifically designed to migrate databases to Cloud SQL with minimal downtime. It supports PostgreSQL as a source and performs continuous replication to keep the target in sync, enabling a near-zero-downtime cutover. This service handles the heavy lifting of data transfer and synchronization, making it the ideal companion to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL when executing the migration.
- ✗
Cloud Dataflow
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Dataflow is not appropriate for this task because it is a data processing service for building batch and streaming pipelines, not a database migration tool. While Dataflow can transform and move data between systems, it does not provide schema migration, replication, or cutover orchestration for entire databases. Using Dataflow would require custom coding for every table and would not offer the managed, minimal-downtime migration capabilities that Database Migration Service provides.
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Related to this question
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Cloud Digital Transformation
Key term
SQL
SQL is a standard programming language used to manage, query, and manipulate relational databases by issuing commands like SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.
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.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This GCDL 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 GCDL exam.