- A
Use Bigtable managed backups for Spanner.
Why wrong: Bigtable backups are separate and not applicable to Spanner.
- B
Use Cloud SQL automated backups and cross-region copy.
Why wrong: Cloud SQL backups are for Cloud SQL, not Spanner.
- C
Export the Spanner database to Cloud Storage in Avro format using the console or gcloud.
Spanner's built-in export creates a full backup in Avro format in GCS, which can be imported into another region.
- D
Use Spanner incremental backups to save only changes since the last full backup.
Why wrong: Spanner does not support incremental backups natively; full exports are the only built-in option.
Question 313 of 980
PCD Practice Question: Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of manage a solution that can span multiple database systems. 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 has a globally distributed application using Cloud Spanner. They need to backup the database for compliance purposes and restore it in a different region if needed. Which backup method should they use?
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
✓
Export the Spanner database to Cloud Storage in Avro format using the console or gcloud.
Cloud Spanner does not support native managed backups or incremental backups. The correct method to create a backup for compliance and cross-region restore is to export the database to Cloud Storage in Avro format using the console or gcloud. This export can then be imported into a new Spanner instance in a different region, meeting the disaster recovery requirement.
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 Bigtable managed backups for Spanner.
Why it's wrong here
Bigtable backups are separate and not applicable to Spanner.
- ✗
Use Cloud SQL automated backups and cross-region copy.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL backups are for Cloud SQL, not Spanner.
- ✓
Export the Spanner database to Cloud Storage in Avro format using the console or gcloud.
Why this is correct
Spanner's built-in export creates a full backup in Avro format in GCS, which can be imported into another region.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Spanner incremental backups to save only changes since the last full backup.
Why it's wrong here
Spanner does not support incremental backups natively; full exports are the only built-in option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Cloud Spanner with other managed database services like Cloud SQL or Bigtable, assuming they share backup features such as automated backups, cross-region replication, or incremental backups, when in fact Spanner only supports full database exports to Avro in Cloud Storage.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The gcloud spanner databases export command uses the Dataflow service under the hood to read the Spanner database and write Avro files to Cloud Storage. Avro is chosen because it is a compact, binary format that preserves schema and supports efficient parallel processing. When restoring, you use gcloud spanner databases import, which reads the Avro files and recreates the database, including indexes and constraints, but note that the import does not preserve the original database ID or any instance-level configurations like node count or processing units.
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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Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCD question test?
Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems — This question tests Manage a Solution that Can Span Multiple Database Systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Export the Spanner database to Cloud Storage in Avro format using the console or gcloud. — Cloud Spanner does not support native managed backups or incremental backups. The correct method to create a backup for compliance and cross-region restore is to export the database to Cloud Storage in Avro format using the console or gcloud. This export can then be imported into a new Spanner instance in a different region, meeting the disaster recovery requirement.
What should I do if I get this PCD 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.
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 PCD 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 PCD exam.
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