- A
Cloud SQL read replica with synchronous replication
Why wrong: Cloud SQL read replicas use asynchronous replication — there's a replication lag, so the RPO is not zero. They're for read scaling, not zero-RPO HA.
- B
Cloud SQL High Availability with synchronous standby replica in a different zone
Cloud SQL HA uses synchronous replication — each transaction is written to both primary and standby before commit acknowledgment. Primary failure results in zero data loss (near-zero RPO).
- C
Cloud SQL with automated daily backups and point-in-time recovery
Why wrong: Automated backups allow recovery to a point in time, but the RPO equals the time since the last backup or log — not near-zero for mid-transaction failures.
- D
Cloud Spanner — it automatically replicates synchronously across zones
Why wrong: Cloud Spanner is a valid option for strong consistency, but the question asks specifically about Cloud SQL features — HA is the Cloud SQL answer.
Quick Answer
The answer is Cloud SQL High Availability with a synchronous standby replica in a different zone. This configuration achieves near-zero RPO for Cloud SQL by using synchronous replication, meaning every database write is committed to both the primary instance and the standby replica in a separate zone before the transaction is acknowledged to the application. If the primary fails mid-transaction, the standby holds an identical copy of the data and can take over instantly, preventing any data loss. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of how synchronous replication differs from asynchronous replication, which would introduce a small RPO window. A common trap is confusing a read replica (which uses asynchronous replication and can lag) with an HA standby replica. Remember the memory tip: “Sync for zero, async for lag” — synchronous replication is the only way to guarantee near-zero RPO in Cloud SQL.
Google ACE Planning and configuring a cloud solution Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of planning and configuring a cloud solution. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 financial application requires all database transactions to be durable even if the primary Cloud SQL instance fails mid-transaction. The RPO (Recovery Point Objective) must be near-zero. Which Cloud SQL feature achieves this?
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 High Availability with synchronous standby replica in a different zone
Cloud SQL High Availability (HA) uses a synchronous standby replica in a different zone to ensure that every write is committed to both the primary and standby before acknowledging the transaction. This provides near-zero RPO because if the primary fails mid-transaction, the standby has the exact same data and can take over without data loss.
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 read replica with synchronous replication
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL read replicas use asynchronous replication — there's a replication lag, so the RPO is not zero. They're for read scaling, not zero-RPO HA.
- ✓
Cloud SQL High Availability with synchronous standby replica in a different zone
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL HA uses synchronous replication — each transaction is written to both primary and standby before commit acknowledgment. Primary failure results in zero data loss (near-zero RPO).
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 with automated daily backups and point-in-time recovery
Why it's wrong here
Automated backups allow recovery to a point in time, but the RPO equals the time since the last backup or log — not near-zero for mid-transaction failures.
- ✗
Cloud Spanner — it automatically replicates synchronously across zones
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner is a valid option for strong consistency, but the question asks specifically about Cloud SQL features — HA is the Cloud SQL answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between synchronous replication (used in HA for near-zero RPO) and asynchronous replication (used in read replicas for read scaling), leading candidates to mistakenly choose read replicas for durability requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL HA uses synchronous replication with a semi-synchronous commit protocol, where the primary waits for acknowledgment from the standby before confirming the write to the client. Under the hood, this is implemented using MySQL's semi-synchronous replication plugin or PostgreSQL's synchronous replication with a specific replication slot, ensuring that the standby's WAL (Write-Ahead Log) is up to date. In a real-world scenario, if the primary zone experiences a power outage, the standby automatically promotes itself with zero data loss, but there may be a brief failover downtime of about 60 seconds.
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.
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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: Cloud SQL High Availability with synchronous standby replica in a different zone — Cloud SQL High Availability (HA) uses a synchronous standby replica in a different zone to ensure that every write is committed to both the primary and standby before acknowledging the transaction. This provides near-zero RPO because if the primary fails mid-transaction, the standby has the exact same data and can take over without data loss.
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: "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: Jun 30, 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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