Google PCA Practice Question: Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes
A company is migrating an on-premises PostgreSQL database (5 TB) to Cloud SQL. They need minimal downtime and automated schema conversion if needed. Which GCP service 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
✓
Database Migration Service (DMS)
Database Migration Service (DMS) supports continuous migration with minimal downtime from on-premises PostgreSQL to Cloud SQL. It handles schema and data migration. Migrate for Compute Engine is for VM migration, Transfer Appliance is for bulk data transfer, and Datastream is for streaming replication to BigQuery.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why this is correct
DMS provides near-zero downtime migration for PostgreSQL to Cloud SQL. It supports schema conversion and ongoing replication.
- ✗
Datastream
Why it's wrong here
Datastream is for streaming data to BigQuery, Cloud Storage, or Pub/Sub. It is not designed for database migration to Cloud SQL.
- ✗
Migrate for Compute Engine (formerly Velostrata)
Why it's wrong here
Migrate for Compute Engine is for migrating entire VMs, not databases specifically. It does not handle database schema conversion.
- ✗
Transfer Appliance
Why it's wrong here
Transfer Appliance is a physical device for large-scale data transfer to GCP. It is not suitable for live database migration with minimal downtime.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Google Cloud Platform
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
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 PCA 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 PCA exam.