- A
Take a snapshot of the instance, create a new larger instance from the snapshot, then update the connection string.
Why wrong: Creating a new instance from a snapshot causes downtime during the cutover and is complex. Online disk resize is available and simpler.
- B
Increase the disk size via the Cloud SQL console or `gcloud sql instances patch` — this occurs with no instance restart.
Cloud SQL disk increases are online operations. `gcloud sql instances patch INSTANCE --storage-size=NEW_SIZE` resizes the disk without restarting or interrupting the instance.
- C
Delete old database tables to free up space.
Why wrong: Deleting data may resolve space issues but risks data loss. Online disk resize is the correct operational response.
- D
Switch the instance to SSD storage, which has higher throughput and allows more writes.
Why wrong: Changing storage type requires instance recreation and doesn't address capacity — it addresses performance, not disk space.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to increase the disk size via the Cloud SQL console or the `gcloud sql instances patch` command, as this operation completes without an instance restart. Cloud SQL’s architecture supports dynamic disk resizing, meaning the change applies immediately to the running instance, allowing the database to continue serving writes and resolving the disk-full condition without any downtime. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Cloud SQL’s live migration and storage scaling capabilities—a common trap is assuming you must stop the instance or enable automatic storage increases, which only triggers when a threshold is crossed, not when you need an immediate fix. Remember that manual resizing is instant and non-disruptive, while automatic increases are proactive but slower to react. A simple memory tip: “Patch it, don’t stop it”—when the disk is full, patch the size live to keep the app alive.
Google ACE Practice Question: Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution. 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 Cloud SQL instance's disk is at 95% capacity. The application is experiencing write failures. You need to resolve this immediately with no downtime. What should you do?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
Increase the disk size via the Cloud SQL console or `gcloud sql instances patch` — this occurs with no instance restart.
Option B is correct because Cloud SQL supports dynamic disk resizing without requiring an instance restart. When you increase the disk size via the console or `gcloud sql instances patch`, the change takes effect immediately, allowing the database to continue serving writes without downtime. This directly resolves the write failures caused by disk-full conditions.
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.
- ✗
Take a snapshot of the instance, create a new larger instance from the snapshot, then update the connection string.
Why it's wrong here
Creating a new instance from a snapshot causes downtime during the cutover and is complex. Online disk resize is available and simpler.
- ✓
Increase the disk size via the Cloud SQL console or `gcloud sql instances patch` — this occurs with no instance restart.
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL disk increases are online operations. `gcloud sql instances patch INSTANCE --storage-size=NEW_SIZE` resizes the disk without restarting or interrupting the instance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Delete old database tables to free up space.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting data may resolve space issues but risks data loss. Online disk resize is the correct operational response.
- ✗
Switch the instance to SSD storage, which has higher throughput and allows more writes.
Why it's wrong here
Changing storage type requires instance recreation and doesn't address capacity — it addresses performance, not disk space.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume any disk change requires a restart or migration, but Cloud SQL's online disk resize is a key differentiator that allows immediate resolution without downtime.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL uses a thin-provisioned disk model where the underlying persistent disk can be resized online via the Compute Engine API. The `gcloud sql instances patch` command triggers a live resize of the attached PD, and the filesystem (typically ext4 or XFS) is automatically expanded to use the new space without unmounting. In a real-world scenario, if the disk reaches 100% capacity, even read operations can stall due to filesystem metadata issues, so proactive monitoring at 80-85% is recommended.
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.
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.
- →
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All ACE questions
500 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Associate Cloud Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
ACE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related ACE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Setting up a cloud solution environment practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Setting up a cloud solution environment.
Planning and configuring a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Planning and configuring a cloud solution.
Deploying and implementing a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Deploying and implementing a cloud solution.
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution.
Configuring access and security practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Configuring access and security.
ACE fundamentals practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE fundamentals.
ACE scenario practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE scenario.
ACE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free ACE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution — This question tests Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the disk size via the Cloud SQL console or `gcloud sql instances patch` — this occurs with no instance restart. — Option B is correct because Cloud SQL supports dynamic disk resizing without requiring an instance restart. When you increase the disk size via the console or `gcloud sql instances patch`, the change takes effect immediately, allowing the database to continue serving writes without downtime. This directly resolves the write failures caused by disk-full conditions.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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 →
Keep practising
More ACE practice questions
- A team's Cloud Build pipeline must: (1) run unit tests, (2) build a Docker image only if tests pass, (3) push the image…
- A team needs a database backup job to run every day at 2 AM UTC. The job calls an HTTP endpoint to trigger the backup. T…
- A team wants to receive an email alert when the average CPU utilization of VMs in a managed instance group exceeds 80% f…
- A Go service is consuming significantly more CPU than expected. The team suspects an inefficient function but doesn't kn…
- A network team is creating a new VPC and must decide between auto mode and custom mode. Why would they choose custom mod…
- A company organizes its GCP projects by business unit — Finance, Engineering, and Sales. Which resource is best suited t…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.