Google PCA Manage implementation of cloud architecture Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of manage implementation of cloud architecture. 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 company is designing a disaster recovery plan for their Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL instance. They want to ensure that the database can be recovered in another region within minutes with minimal data loss. Which three actions should they take? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable point-in-time recovery
Enabling point-in-time recovery (PITR) for Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL is correct because it allows you to restore the database to any specific point in time within the backup retention period, minimizing data loss to within seconds. PITR relies on write-ahead logs (WAL) archived continuously, which are essential for recovering to a precise timestamp in a disaster scenario. This directly supports the requirement of minimal data loss during cross-region recovery.
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.
✓
Enable point-in-time recovery
Why this is correct
Allows recovery to a specific point in time, minimizing data loss.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Regularly test the failover procedure
Why this is correct
Ensures the DR plan works when needed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure a failover replica in a different zone within the same region
Why it's wrong here
Only protects against zone failure, not regional disaster.
✓
Enable cross-region replication using Cloud SQL's replica feature
Why this is correct
Provides a readable replica in another region for failover.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable automated backups with a retention period of 30 days
Why it's wrong here
Backups are for within-region, not for quick cross-region recovery.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse zonal high availability (a failover replica in a different zone) with cross-region disaster recovery, mistakenly thinking a zonal replica satisfies the 'another region' requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL cross-region replication uses a cascading replica architecture where a primary instance in one region replicates to a cross-region replica using PostgreSQL's native streaming replication over TLS. The replica can be promoted to a standalone instance in the target region, typically within minutes, and PITR ensures that the promoted instance can be recovered to the most recent transaction, reducing RPO to sub-second levels. In a real-world scenario, testing the failover procedure is critical because replication lag, network latency, or configuration drift can cause unexpected delays or data loss during an actual disaster.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PCA question in full detail.
Manage implementation of cloud architecture — This question tests Manage implementation of cloud architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable point-in-time recovery — Enabling point-in-time recovery (PITR) for Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL is correct because it allows you to restore the database to any specific point in time within the backup retention period, minimizing data loss to within seconds. PITR relies on write-ahead logs (WAL) archived continuously, which are essential for recovering to a precise timestamp in a disaster scenario. This directly supports the requirement of minimal data loss during cross-region recovery.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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