- A
Use Cloud SQL external replication with a Compute Engine instance
Why wrong: External replication is more complex and not automatically managed.
- B
Deploy a high-availability (HA) configuration within the same region
Why wrong: HA within a region does not protect against regional failure.
- C
Enable automatic backups and point-in-time recovery
Why wrong: Backups have an RPO of hours, not seconds.
- D
Configure a cross-region read replica in us-west1
Cross-region read replicas provide asynchronous replication with low RPO and can be promoted for failover.
Question 513 of 1,000
Google ACE Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of planning and configuring a cloud solution. 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. 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 solutions architect is designing a disaster recovery plan for a Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL instance. The primary instance is in us-central1. They need to automate failover to a different region with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of less than 5 seconds. Which configuration should they choose?
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
✓
Configure a cross-region read replica in us-west1
Cloud SQL cross-region replication uses asynchronous replication and typically has an RPO of a few seconds. A read replica in another region can be promoted in a disaster. Backups have higher RPO. HA within same region does not help for regional disaster. External replication is less managed.
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.
- ✗
Use Cloud SQL external replication with a Compute Engine instance
Why it's wrong here
External replication is more complex and not automatically managed.
- ✗
Deploy a high-availability (HA) configuration within the same region
Why it's wrong here
HA within a region does not protect against regional failure.
- ✗
Enable automatic backups and point-in-time recovery
Why it's wrong here
Backups have an RPO of hours, not seconds.
- ✓
Configure a cross-region read replica in us-west1
Why this is correct
Cross-region read replicas provide asynchronous replication with low RPO and can be promoted for failover.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which ACE 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 ACE question test?
Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution — This question tests Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a cross-region read replica in us-west1 — Cloud SQL cross-region replication uses asynchronous replication and typically has an RPO of a few seconds. A read replica in another region can be promoted in a disaster. Backups have higher RPO. HA within same region does not help for regional disaster. External replication is less managed.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which ACE 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 →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This ACE 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 ACE exam.
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