- A
Shard the database by region into separate Spanner instances.
Why wrong: Sharding breaks global strong consistency and introduces complexity.
- B
Use Cloud CDN to cache read data.
Why wrong: Cloud CDN caches static content, not dynamic writes.
- C
Create a read-only replica in Europe using Cloud Spanner's read replica feature.
Why wrong: Cloud Spanner does not have read-only replicas; all nodes are read-write.
- D
Create a multi-region configuration spanning US and Europe, and modify application to read from closest region.
Multi-region provides synchronous replication for low-latency reads/writes globally and meets compliance.
Question 470 of 1,000
PCDE Multi-region configuration Practice Question
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of plan and manage database infrastructure. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: multi-region configuration. 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 global gaming company uses Cloud Spanner for user profiles and game state. They have a single-region instance in us-central1. Recently, they launched in Europe and notice high latency for European users. They also need to ensure data locality compliance (GDPR). The database is heavily written with throughput spikes. They want to minimize latency without sacrificing write throughput. They consider adding a secondary index on region column. What is the best course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 multi-region configuration spanning US and Europe, and modify application to read from closest region.
Option D is correct because a multi-region Cloud Spanner configuration with regional endpoints allows the application to read from the closest region, reducing latency for European users while maintaining strong consistency and write throughput. Spanner's multi-region configurations use synchronous replication across all regions, ensuring GDPR compliance by keeping European user data within Europe for reads. Write throughput is not sacrificed because Spanner's architecture is designed for high scalability and uses synchronous replication efficiently.
Key principle: Multi-region configuration
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Shard the database by region into separate Spanner instances.
Why it's wrong here
Sharding breaks global strong consistency and introduces complexity.
- ✗
Use Cloud CDN to cache read data.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud CDN caches static content, not dynamic writes.
- ✗
Create a read-only replica in Europe using Cloud Spanner's read replica feature.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner does not have read-only replicas; all nodes are read-write.
- ✓
Create a multi-region configuration spanning US and Europe, and modify application to read from closest region.
Why this is correct
Multi-region provides synchronous replication for low-latency reads/writes globally and meets compliance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Multi-region configuration
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A key trap is that candidates may believe Cloud Spanner multi-region configurations use asynchronous replication, but in fact, Spanner uses synchronous replication across all regions to ensure strong consistency. This means all writes must be committed in all regions before acknowledgment, which does not sacrifice write throughput due to Spanner's architecture. The incorrect assumption that writes are committed only in the primary region and replicated asynchronously leads to misunderstandings about latency and consistency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Spanner's multi-region configuration uses a single writable leader region (e.g., us-central1) and multiple read-only replicas in other regions (e.g., europe-west1) that are kept in sync via synchronous Paxos replication. Applications can use regional endpoints to route reads to the nearest replica, reducing read latency to single-digit milliseconds, while writes are still committed to the leader region with global strong consistency. This design ensures GDPR compliance by allowing European user data to be read from European replicas without moving the primary write location.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Multi-region configuration
- Synchronous replication
- Data locality
- Write throughput
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
Multi-region configuration
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Multi-region configuration Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review multi-region configuration, then practise related PCDE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Plan and manage database infrastructure — This question tests Plan and manage database infrastructure — Multi-region configuration.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a multi-region configuration spanning US and Europe, and modify application to read from closest region. — Option D is correct because a multi-region Cloud Spanner configuration with regional endpoints allows the application to read from the closest region, reducing latency for European users while maintaining strong consistency and write throughput. Spanner's multi-region configurations use synchronous replication across all regions, ensuring GDPR compliance by keeping European user data within Europe for reads. Write throughput is not sacrificed because Spanner's architecture is designed for high scalability and uses synchronous replication efficiently.
What should I do if I get this PCDE question wrong?
Review multi-region configuration, then practise related PCDE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Multi-region configuration
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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