- A
Set up a hot standby Bigtable cluster in another region using replication.
Why wrong: Bigtable does not support hot standby replication; replication is not a feature.
- B
Use Cloud SQL cross-region backup copy feature.
Why wrong: Cloud SQL cross-region copy does not apply to Bigtable.
- C
Create a Bigtable backup and restore it to a cluster in another region.
Bigtable backups are cluster-specific and can be restored to any cluster in the same project, enabling cross-region recovery.
- D
Export the Bigtable data to Cloud Storage and import it into a new cluster.
Why wrong: While possible, this is not a managed backup/restore and is slower; managed backups are preferred.
Question 77 of 999
PCD Practice Question: Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of manage a solution that can span multiple database systems. 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 financial services company needs to maintain a backup of their Bigtable instance in a different geographic region. They want to restore the backup quickly in case of a regional failure. What should they do?
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
✓
Create a Bigtable backup and restore it to a cluster in another region.
Bigtable backups are designed for exactly this use case: they are full, consistent copies of the table schema and data that can be restored to a different cluster in another region. This approach provides a fast, managed restore without the overhead of maintaining a hot standby or the complexity of export/import pipelines. Option C directly uses the Bigtable backup and restore feature, which is the recommended method for cross-region disaster recovery.
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.
- ✗
Set up a hot standby Bigtable cluster in another region using replication.
Why it's wrong here
Bigtable does not support hot standby replication; replication is not a feature.
- ✗
Use Cloud SQL cross-region backup copy feature.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL cross-region copy does not apply to Bigtable.
- ✓
Create a Bigtable backup and restore it to a cluster in another region.
Why this is correct
Bigtable backups are cluster-specific and can be restored to any cluster in the same project, enabling cross-region recovery.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Export the Bigtable data to Cloud Storage and import it into a new cluster.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, this is not a managed backup/restore and is slower; managed backups are preferred.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common trap is confusing Bigtable replication (which is intra-region or within an instance) with backup/restore (which is cross-region). Replication does not support cross-region failover; backup and restore to a different region is the correct approach.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Bigtable backups are stored as a separate, immutable snapshot of the table data and metadata, using the same underlying Colossus file system. When you restore a backup to a different region, Bigtable automatically creates a new cluster and populates it from the backup, leveraging Google's global network for efficient data transfer. This avoids the need to maintain a separate hot standby cluster, which would incur continuous replication costs and complexity.
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
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCD question test?
Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems — This question tests Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a Bigtable backup and restore it to a cluster in another region. — Bigtable backups are designed for exactly this use case: they are full, consistent copies of the table schema and data that can be restored to a different cluster in another region. This approach provides a fast, managed restore without the overhead of maintaining a hot standby or the complexity of export/import pipelines. Option C directly uses the Bigtable backup and restore feature, which is the recommended method for cross-region disaster recovery.
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
This PCD 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 PCD exam.
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