Question 201 of 1,446
PCDE Practice Question: Manage a solution that can span multiple database technologies
A company has a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance with automated backups enabled. They need to restore the database to a specific timestamp from 2 days ago. The backup retention is set to 7 days. How should they perform this restore?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse `gcloud sql instances restore-backup` (which restores from a full backup only) with point-in-time recovery, not realizing that the clone command with `--point-in-time` is the correct method for timestamp-based restores.
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
✓
Use gcloud sql instances clone with the --point-in-time flag and the desired timestamp
Cloud SQL for MySQL supports point-in-time recovery (PITR), which allows you to restore a database to a specific timestamp within the backup retention period (here, 7 days). The `gcloud sql instances clone` command with the `--point-in-time` flag creates a new instance that reflects the database state at the exact requested timestamp, leveraging the transaction logs retained by automated backups.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Export the database and import it into a new instance
Why it's wrong here
Export/import is not a point-in-time operation and would include all data up to the export time.
- ✗
Create an on-demand backup and restore from that backup
Why it's wrong here
On-demand backup captures data at the time of backup, not at the desired timestamp.
- ✓
Use gcloud sql instances clone with the --point-in-time flag and the desired timestamp
Why this is correct
Cloning with --point-in-time allows restoration to any timestamp within the binary log retention period.
- ✗
Use gcloud sql instances restore-backup with the backup ID from 2 days ago
Why it's wrong here
This restores to the time the backup was taken, not to a specific timestamp.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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