PDE Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads Practice Question
You want to create a cost-efficient snapshot of a large BigQuery table that can be used by other teams for read-only analytics without incurring additional storage costs for the base table data. What should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google often tests the distinction between table clones (zero-cost storage for base data) and table snapshots (which incur storage costs for the snapshot data), leading candidates to mistakenly choose snapshots for cost efficiency.
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 BigQuery table clone of the original table.
A BigQuery table clone creates a read-only, cost-efficient copy of the table that references the underlying storage of the base table, so no additional storage costs are incurred for the base data. Clones are ideal for sharing snapshots for read-only analytics without duplicating storage, and they support time-travel queries within the clone's retention period.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a BigQuery table snapshot of the original table.
Why it's wrong here
Table snapshots incur separate storage costs from the start, and are mainly for point-in-time recovery.
- ✗
Export the table to Cloud Storage as Avro files and load into a new table.
Why it's wrong here
This incurs export and import costs, and the new table uses separate storage.
- ✗
Create a view over the original table.
Why it's wrong here
A view does not create a separate copy; it queries the base table each time, and any changes to the base table affect the view.
- ✓
Create a BigQuery table clone of the original table.
Why this is correct
Table clones share storage with the base table, so no additional storage cost initially. Charges apply only for modifications.
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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.