- A
Enable cross-region replication to a replica in another region
Why wrong: Cross-region replication is asynchronous, so RPO is not zero.
- B
Enable automatic backups with point-in-time recovery
Why wrong: Backups provide recovery but RPO is at least the backup interval.
- C
Use a read replica in the same zone
Why wrong: Read replicas are asynchronous and do not guarantee 0 RPO.
- D
Configure a Cloud SQL HA instance
HA instance uses synchronous replication within the same region, providing 0 RPO.
Question 972 of 999
Design Scalable and Highly Available Cloud Database Solutions →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
PCD Practice Question: Design Scalable and Highly Available Cloud Database Solutions
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of design scalable and highly available cloud database solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 wants to achieve 0 RPO for a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance. Which configuration 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
✓
Configure a Cloud SQL HA instance
Option D is correct because Cloud SQL HA (high availability) instances use synchronous replication to a standby VM in a different zone within the same region, providing automatic failover with zero data loss (0 RPO). This configuration ensures that committed transactions are immediately replicated to the standby before acknowledging the commit, guaranteeing that no committed data is lost even if the primary zone fails.
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.
- ✗
Enable cross-region replication to a replica in another region
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region replication is asynchronous, so RPO is not zero.
- ✗
Enable automatic backups with point-in-time recovery
Why it's wrong here
Backups provide recovery but RPO is at least the backup interval.
- ✗
Use a read replica in the same zone
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas are asynchronous and do not guarantee 0 RPO.
- ✓
Configure a Cloud SQL HA instance
Why this is correct
HA instance uses synchronous replication within the same region, providing 0 RPO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google often tests the distinction between synchronous and asynchronous replication, and the trap here is that candidates confuse cross-region replication or read replicas (both asynchronous) with the synchronous HA configuration, mistakenly believing they can achieve 0 RPO.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL HA uses synchronous replication via a regional persistent disk that is continuously replicated to a standby instance in a different zone. In the event of a zonal failure, the standby automatically takes over with no data loss because all writes are durably stored on the replicated disk. This architecture achieves 0 RPO at the cost of slightly higher write latency due to the synchronous replication overhead, which is typically acceptable for critical transactional workloads.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCD question test?
Design Scalable and Highly Available Cloud Database Solutions — This question tests Design Scalable and Highly Available Cloud Database Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a Cloud SQL HA instance — Option D is correct because Cloud SQL HA (high availability) instances use synchronous replication to a standby VM in a different zone within the same region, providing automatic failover with zero data loss (0 RPO). This configuration ensures that committed transactions are immediately replicated to the standby before acknowledging the commit, guaranteeing that no committed data is lost even if the primary zone fails.
What should I do if I get this PCD question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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