Google PCA Practice Question: Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes
A company wants to migrate a MySQL database running on-premises to Cloud SQL with minimal downtime. Which GCP service should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing data transfer services (Storage Transfer Service, Transfer Appliance) with database migration services; the exam expects you to know that DMS is the only GCP service designed for live database migration with minimal downtime.
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
Database Migration Service (DMS) is purpose-built for migrating MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server databases to Cloud SQL with minimal downtime. It handles continuous replication and cutover, which is exactly what's needed for a live database migration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Migrate for Compute Engine
Why it's wrong here
Migrate for Compute Engine replicates whole VM instances to Compute Engine, not database contents into Cloud SQL, so it cannot perform a minimal-downtime MySQL cutover. It is tempting because it handles server lift-and-shift migrations, and would be correct when relocating entire on-premises virtual machines rather than a database.
- ✗
Storage Transfer Service
Why it's wrong here
Storage Transfer Service moves objects between object stores, not live relational data, so it cannot replicate MySQL transactions into Cloud SQL. It is tempting because it handles large-scale file and bucket migrations, and would be right for moving data into Cloud Storage rather than a managed database.
- ✗
Transfer Appliance
Why it's wrong here
Transfer Appliance is a physical device for shipping bulk data to Cloud Storage offline, so it cannot continuously replicate a live MySQL database into Cloud SQL. It is tempting for very large datasets over slow links, and would be correct for one-off bulk transfers into Cloud Storage, not transactional database migration.
- ✓
Database Migration Service
Why this is correct
Database Migration Service performs continuous, near-zero-downtime replication from on-premises MySQL into Cloud SQL, then promotes the replica at cutover. This directly satisfies the stem's minimal-downtime constraint, unlike dump-and-restore approaches that require taking the source offline.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
IAM Policies, Service Accounts, and Auditing
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
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.
About these practice questions
One of 807 original PCA practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Google Cloud exam blueprint
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.