- A
Migrate to Cloud Spanner to handle both workloads using its analytics interface.
Why wrong: Cloud Spanner is designed for global scale and strong consistency, not specifically for mixed workload isolation. It is overkill and more expensive for this scenario, which can be handled with Cloud SQL.
- B
Use Cloud SQL with the 'analytics' tier enabled.
Correct. The Cloud SQL analytics tier isolates analytical queries on dedicated resources, preventing performance impact on transactional workloads.
- C
Create a read replica of the Cloud SQL instance and run analytical queries against the replica.
Why wrong: Read replicas also offload analytical queries, but they require additional management and lag may affect data freshness. The analytics tier avoids these issues and is simpler.
- D
Use the same Cloud SQL instance but schedule analytical queries during off-peak hours.
Why wrong: Scheduling during off-peak hours does not eliminate resource contention; heavy analytical queries can still degrade performance during those times. Workload isolation is a more robust solution.
PCDOE Design and Plan Database Solutions Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of design and plan database solutions. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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 company wants to migrate their on-premises PostgreSQL database to Cloud SQL. The database currently runs mixed workloads: OLTP with heavy writes and occasional complex analytical queries. They want to avoid performance impact on the transactional workload. 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
Use Cloud SQL with the 'analytics' tier enabled.
Cloud SQL offers an 'analytics' tier that provides dedicated compute and memory resources for analytical queries, isolating them from the transactional workload. This ensures no performance impact on OLTP operations while allowing complex queries to run efficiently on the same data. The analytics tier uses separate processing units and does not compete with the primary instance's resources, making it a cost-effective alternative to read replicas for workload isolation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Migrate to Cloud Spanner to handle both workloads using its analytics interface.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner is designed for global scale and strong consistency, not specifically for mixed workload isolation. It is overkill and more expensive for this scenario, which can be handled with Cloud SQL.
- ✓
Use Cloud SQL with the 'analytics' tier enabled.
Why this is correct
Correct. The Cloud SQL analytics tier isolates analytical queries on dedicated resources, preventing performance impact on transactional workloads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a read replica of the Cloud SQL instance and run analytical queries against the replica.
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas also offload analytical queries, but they require additional management and lag may affect data freshness. The analytics tier avoids these issues and is simpler.
- ✗
Use the same Cloud SQL instance but schedule analytical queries during off-peak hours.
Why it's wrong here
Scheduling during off-peak hours does not eliminate resource contention; heavy analytical queries can still degrade performance during those times. Workload isolation is a more robust solution.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often assume that read replicas are the only way to isolate analytical workloads, or that scheduling during off-peak hours is sufficient. However, Cloud SQL's analytics tier provides dedicated resources without the need for additional replicas, reducing complexity and cost.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Cloud Spanner is designed for global scale and strong consistency, not specifically for mixed workload isolation. It is overkill and more expensive for this scenario, which can be handled with Cloud SQL.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL read replicas use PostgreSQL's native streaming replication (WAL-based) to asynchronously replicate data from the primary instance. The replica can be promoted to a standalone instance if needed, and it supports read-only connections, making it ideal for offloading reporting and analytical workloads. In a real-world scenario, if the analytical queries involve large aggregations or full table scans, the replica can be scaled independently (e.g., with more memory or vCPUs) without affecting the primary instance's configuration.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
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
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDOE question test?
Design and Plan Database Solutions — This question tests Design and Plan Database Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Cloud SQL with the 'analytics' tier enabled. — Cloud SQL offers an 'analytics' tier that provides dedicated compute and memory resources for analytical queries, isolating them from the transactional workload. This ensures no performance impact on OLTP operations while allowing complex queries to run efficiently on the same data. The analytics tier uses separate processing units and does not compete with the primary instance's resources, making it a cost-effective alternative to read replicas for workload isolation.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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