- A
Datastream
Datastream supports real-time CDC from Oracle to BigQuery and GCS.
- B
Pub/Sub
Why wrong: Pub/Sub is a messaging service but does not natively connect to Oracle for CDC without additional tooling.
- C
Dataflow
Why wrong: Dataflow can process streams but requires a separate source connector for Oracle CDC.
- D
Storage Transfer Service
Why wrong: Storage Transfer Service is for batch transfers of files between cloud and on-premises, not for real-time CDC.
Question 119 of 1,000
PDE Ingesting and Processing the Data Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of ingesting and processing the data. 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.
An organization wants to ingest on-premises Oracle database changes into BigQuery for real-time analytics with minimal latency. The Oracle database is version 19c and has a high transactional volume. Which Google Cloud service should they use?
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
✓
Datastream
Datastream is the correct service because it is purpose-built for real-time, serverless change data capture (CDC) from Oracle databases (including 19c) to BigQuery. It uses LogMiner to read redo logs with minimal overhead, supporting high transactional volumes and sub-second latency without requiring custom code or manual schema management.
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.
- ✓
Datastream
Why this is correct
Datastream supports real-time CDC from Oracle to BigQuery and GCS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Pub/Sub
Why it's wrong here
Pub/Sub is a messaging service but does not natively connect to Oracle for CDC without additional tooling.
- ✗
Dataflow
Why it's wrong here
Dataflow can process streams but requires a separate source connector for Oracle CDC.
- ✗
Storage Transfer Service
Why it's wrong here
Storage Transfer Service is for batch transfers of files between cloud and on-premises, not for real-time CDC.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often incorrectly select Pub/Sub or Dataflow as generic streaming solutions, but Datastream is the only Google Cloud service that natively supports Oracle CDC without additional infrastructure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Datastream leverages Oracle LogMiner to parse redo logs and extract committed transactions, streaming them via a secure, low-latency connection to BigQuery's Storage Write API. Under the hood, it automatically handles schema drift (e.g., new columns) and uses a checkpoint mechanism to resume from failures without data loss. In real-world scenarios with high transactional volume, Datastream can scale horizontally by partitioning the log stream across multiple workers, ensuring consistent sub-second latency even during peak loads.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Ingesting and Processing the Data — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Ingesting and Processing the Data — This question tests Ingesting and Processing the Data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Datastream — Datastream is the correct service because it is purpose-built for real-time, serverless change data capture (CDC) from Oracle databases (including 19c) to BigQuery. It uses LogMiner to read redo logs with minimal overhead, supporting high transactional volumes and sub-second latency without requiring custom code or manual schema management.
What should I do if I get this PDE 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PDE 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 PDE exam.
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