- A
Cloud SQL: Fully managed relational database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service supporting MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
- B
Cloud Spanner: Globally distributed relational database with strong consistency
Cloud Spanner is a horizontally scalable, globally distributed relational database that provides strong consistency and high availability.
- C
Bigtable: NoSQL wide-column database for large analytical workloads
Bigtable is a NoSQL wide-column database optimized for large-scale analytical workloads with low latency.
- D
Firestore: NoSQL document database for mobile and web applications with real-time sync
Firestore is a flexible, scalable NoSQL document database for mobile, web, and server development with real-time data synchronization.
- E
BigQuery: Serverless data warehouse for large-scale analytics
BigQuery is a fully managed, serverless data warehouse that enables scalable analysis of petabytes of data using SQL.
- F
Cloud SQL: Fully managed relational database but not recommended for global distribution
Why wrong: Incorrect — Cloud SQL is not designed for global distribution; Cloud Spanner is the appropriate service for that use case.
PDE Practice Question: Match each Google Cloud data service to its…
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of pde exam topics. 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.
Match each Google Cloud data service to its primary use case.
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
Cloud SQL: Fully managed relational database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
The correct matches are: Cloud SQL for standard relational databases, Cloud Spanner for globally distributed relational data with strong consistency, Bigtable for analytical NoSQL workloads, Firestore for mobile/web apps with real-time sync, and BigQuery for large-scale analytics. Common confusions include mixing up Cloud SQL and Cloud Spanner due to both being relational, or Bigtable and Firestore due to both being NoSQL.
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.
- ✓
Cloud SQL: Fully managed relational database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service supporting MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Cloud Spanner: Globally distributed relational database with strong consistency
Why this is correct
Cloud Spanner is a horizontally scalable, globally distributed relational database that provides strong consistency and high availability.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Bigtable: NoSQL wide-column database for large analytical workloads
Why this is correct
Bigtable is a NoSQL wide-column database optimized for large-scale analytical workloads with low latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Firestore: NoSQL document database for mobile and web applications with real-time sync
Why this is correct
Firestore is a flexible, scalable NoSQL document database for mobile, web, and server development with real-time data synchronization.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
BigQuery: Serverless data warehouse for large-scale analytics
Why this is correct
BigQuery is a fully managed, serverless data warehouse that enables scalable analysis of petabytes of data using SQL.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Cloud SQL: Fully managed relational database but not recommended for global distribution
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — Cloud SQL is not designed for global distribution; Cloud Spanner is the appropriate service for that use case.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cloud SQL: Fully managed relational database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server — The correct matches are: Cloud SQL for standard relational databases, Cloud Spanner for globally distributed relational data with strong consistency, Bigtable for analytical NoSQL workloads, Firestore for mobile/web apps with real-time sync, and BigQuery for large-scale analytics. Common confusions include mixing up Cloud SQL and Cloud Spanner due to both being relational, or Bigtable and Firestore due to both being NoSQL.
What should I do if I get this PDE question wrong?
Identify which PDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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: Jun 11, 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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