Google PCA Practice Question: Managing Implementation and Ensuring Solution and Operations Reliability
Your team uses Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL for an e-commerce application. You want to perform point-in-time recovery (PITR) to recover from a logical error that occurred 10 minutes ago. Which prerequisites are required?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing MySQL terminology (binary logging, InnoDB) with PostgreSQL (WAL), or assuming PITR is not supported for PostgreSQL.
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
✓
Automated backups must be enabled, and write-ahead logging (WAL) must be active
For Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL, point-in-time recovery (PITR) requires that automated backups are enabled and that write-ahead logging (WAL) is active. WAL archiving captures all changes, allowing recovery to any point within the retention period. Automated backups provide the base backup from which WAL is replayed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Automated backups must be enabled, and the instance must be using the InnoDB storage engine
Why it's wrong here
InnoDB is MySQL's storage engine and is irrelevant to PostgreSQL, which uses its own storage layer. It is tempting because automated backups genuinely are a PITR prerequisite, and this combination would be correct for a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance rather than PostgreSQL.
- ✗
Automated backups and binary logging must be enabled
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL performs PITR using write-ahead logs, not binary logging, which is a MySQL concept; enabling it is impossible here. Binary logging is tempting because it is the equivalent prerequisite for MySQL-based Cloud SQL instances, where it would indeed be the correct choice.
- ✗
Point-in-time recovery is not supported for Cloud SQL PostgreSQL
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL does support point-in-time recovery, so this claim is factually false. It is tempting when teams confuse Cloud SQL with other engines or assume PITR is unavailable, and would be correct only if the instance ran an engine lacking that capability.
- ✓
Automated backups must be enabled, and write-ahead logging (WAL) must be active
Why this is correct
Automated backups and write-ahead logging are the two prerequisites Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL requires for point-in-time recovery. WAL archiving captures continuous transaction logs, while automated backups supply the base snapshot; together they let you restore to any moment within the retention window, satisfying the 10-minute recovery target.
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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.