PCDE Practice Question: Manage a solution that can span multiple database technologies
A company has a Cloud Bigtable cluster using HDD storage. They are migrating to a workload that requires lower latency, so they need to switch to SSD storage. How should they accomplish this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that you can change the storage type of an existing cluster via the console or that exporting/importing is the only option, when in fact replication-based migration within the same instance is the recommended and least disruptive method.
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 new Bigtable cluster with SSD storage in the same instance, replicate data, then delete the old cluster.
Cloud Bigtable does not support in-place conversion of storage type from HDD to SSD. The proper migration path is to create a new cluster with SSD storage within the same instance, enable replication to keep data synchronized, and then delete the old HDD cluster. This approach minimizes downtime and ensures data consistency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add more nodes to the existing cluster to improve latency.
Why it's wrong here
Does not change storage type.
- ✗
Export data to Avro files, create a new SSD cluster, and import the data.
Why it's wrong here
Exporting to Avro and importing into a new SSD cluster introduces significant downtime during the data transfer, which the question’s scenario does not permit; the correct approach uses a rolling cluster reconfiguration to change storage type without service interruption. This method is tempting because it is the standard procedure for migrating data between entirely separate storage systems or clusters, and would be correct if the company could tolerate a scheduled outage.
- ✗
Modify the existing cluster's storage type to SSD using the Cloud Console.
Why it's wrong here
Storage type cannot be changed on an existing cluster.
- ✓
Create a new Bigtable cluster with SSD storage in the same instance, replicate data, then delete the old cluster.
Why this is correct
Correct approach: create new cluster, replicate, switch traffic, delete old.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCDE 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 PCDE exam.