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PCDE Practice Question: Deploy scalable and highly available databases in Google Cloud

A DevOps engineer wants to test disaster recovery for a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance by simulating a zone failure without impacting production traffic. They need to ensure minimal data loss. Which approach should they take?

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

Promote a cross-region read replica in a test project to validate the failover process

Non-destructive tests are best done using read replicas. Promoting a read replica in a test environment avoids impacting production. Restoring a backup from Cloud Storage would not test the failover process. Using HA failover would affect production. Restoring to a new instance from PITR tests recovery but not failover.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • Take an on-demand backup and restore it to a new Cloud SQL instance

    Why it's wrong here

    Restoring a backup tests recovery but not the failover process, and it does not simulate zone failure.

  • Use the gcloud command to perform a point-in-time recovery on the same instance

    Why it's wrong here

    PITR is for recovery to a past point in time, not for testing failover scenarios.

  • Enable the HA configuration and trigger a failover by stopping the primary instance

    Why it's wrong here

    Triggering HA failover in production would cause downtime and is destructive; not suitable for testing.

  • Promote a cross-region read replica in a test project to validate the failover process

    Why this is correct

    Using a read replica in a test project is non-destructive and simulates the failover process without affecting production.

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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

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