PCDE Practice Question: Manage a solution that can span multiple database technologies
A database administrator needs to restore a Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL instance to a specific point in time within the last 3 hours. Which configurations must be enabled to perform a point-in-time recovery (PITR)?
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 and WAL archiving with a retention period
PITR in Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL requires automated backups enabled and write-ahead log (WAL) archiving with a specified transaction log retention period (1-7 days). Binary logging is for MySQL, not PostgreSQL.
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 and binary logging
Why it's wrong here
Binary logging is for MySQL; PostgreSQL uses WAL archiving.
- ✗
On-demand backups and binary logging
Why it's wrong here
On-demand backups alone do not provide the necessary transaction logs for PITR.
- ✓
Automated backups and WAL archiving with a retention period
Why this is correct
Correct. PITR requires automated backups and WAL archiving (transaction logs) with retention between 1-7 days.
- ✗
Automated backups and cross-region replicas
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region replicas improve availability but do not enable PITR.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 1,446 original PCDE practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.