- A
AlloyDB for PostgreSQL
AlloyDB is PostgreSQL-compatible, provides high availability, and requires minimal code changes.
- B
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL offers zonal HA with automatic failover, minimal code changes.
- C
Firestore
Why wrong: Firestore is a NoSQL document database, not PostgreSQL-compatible.
- D
Cloud Bigtable
Why wrong: Bigtable is a NoSQL database, not compatible with PostgreSQL.
- E
Cloud Spanner
Why wrong: Spanner is not PostgreSQL-compatible; would require significant code changes.
Question 534 of 1,000
Google PCA Practice Question: Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of designing and planning a cloud solution architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is moving a legacy application to Google Cloud. The application uses a PostgreSQL database and must be re-platformed with minimal code changes. They require high availability across zones and automatic failover within the same region. Which TWO database services meet these requirements? (Choose 2.)
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
✓
AlloyDB for PostgreSQL
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL provides regional high availability with automatic failover across zones. AlloyDB is PostgreSQL-compatible, offers high availability with a primary and standby instance, and is optimized for performance. Cloud Spanner is globally distributed but requires more code changes. Bigtable is not PostgreSQL-compatible. Firestore is NoSQL.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
AlloyDB for PostgreSQL
Why this is correct
AlloyDB is PostgreSQL-compatible, provides high availability, and requires minimal code changes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL offers zonal HA with automatic failover, minimal code changes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Firestore
Why it's wrong here
Firestore is a NoSQL document database, not PostgreSQL-compatible.
- ✗
Cloud Bigtable
Why it's wrong here
Bigtable is a NoSQL database, not compatible with PostgreSQL.
- ✗
Cloud Spanner
Why it's wrong here
Spanner is not PostgreSQL-compatible; would require significant code changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture — This question tests Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AlloyDB for PostgreSQL — Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL provides regional high availability with automatic failover across zones. AlloyDB is PostgreSQL-compatible, offers high availability with a primary and standby instance, and is optimized for performance. Cloud Spanner is globally distributed but requires more code changes. Bigtable is not PostgreSQL-compatible. Firestore is NoSQL.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Identify which PCA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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