- A
Disable binary logging to reduce storage costs.
Why wrong: Binary logging is required for PITR; disabling it would prevent point-in-time recovery.
- B
Set the automated backup retention to 7 days.
Automated backups must be retained for at least 7 days to allow PITR within that window.
- C
Enable high availability (HA) configuration.
Why wrong: HA provides failover, not PITR capability.
- D
Set the binary log expiration period to 1 day to save disk space.
Why wrong: Expiring binlogs early would limit PITR to 1 day, not 7.
- E
Enable binary logging (binlog) with a retention period of at least 7 days.
Binary logs capture transactions; they must be retained for the desired PITR window.
Question 935 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. 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 company is using Cloud SQL for MySQL with automated backups enabled. They need to ensure they can recover to any point in time within the last 7 days. The database experiences high write throughput. Which TWO settings should they configure?
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
✓
Set the automated backup retention to 7 days.
Option B is correct because setting the automated backup retention to 7 days ensures that daily automated backups are kept for the required recovery window. Option E is correct because point-in-time recovery (PITR) in Cloud SQL for MySQL requires binary logging (binlog) to be enabled, and the binlog retention period must be at least 7 days to allow recovery to any point within that window. Without sufficient binlog retention, PITR cannot replay transactions beyond the retained binary logs.
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.
- ✗
Disable binary logging to reduce storage costs.
Why it's wrong here
Binary logging is required for PITR; disabling it would prevent point-in-time recovery.
- ✓
Set the automated backup retention to 7 days.
Why this is correct
Automated backups must be retained for at least 7 days to allow PITR within that window.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable high availability (HA) configuration.
Why it's wrong here
HA provides failover, not PITR capability.
- ✗
Set the binary log expiration period to 1 day to save disk space.
Why it's wrong here
Expiring binlogs early would limit PITR to 1 day, not 7.
- ✓
Enable binary logging (binlog) with a retention period of at least 7 days.
Why this is correct
Binary logs capture transactions; they must be retained for the desired PITR window.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between automated backup retention (which covers full backups) and binary log retention (which covers transaction logs for PITR), leading candidates to confuse the two or assume that enabling HA alone satisfies recovery requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL for MySQL uses binary logs to record all changes to the database; for PITR, the service restores the most recent automated backup and then replays binlog entries up to the specified timestamp. The binlog expiration period is controlled by the `expire_logs_days` system variable (or `binlog_expire_logs_seconds` in MySQL 8.0+), and Cloud SQL allows you to set this via the `--binlog-retention-period` flag. In high-write environments, binlogs can consume significant storage, so balancing retention with storage costs is critical—but the retention period must match the PITR window, not be shortened arbitrarily.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
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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: Set the automated backup retention to 7 days. — Option B is correct because setting the automated backup retention to 7 days ensures that daily automated backups are kept for the required recovery window. Option E is correct because point-in-time recovery (PITR) in Cloud SQL for MySQL requires binary logging (binlog) to be enabled, and the binlog retention period must be at least 7 days to allow recovery to any point within that window. Without sufficient binlog retention, PITR cannot replay transactions beyond the retained binary logs.
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
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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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