- A
Use the Cloud Console to take a managed backup of the Spanner instance
Why wrong: Spanner does not have a managed backup feature; you must use export/import via CLI or API.
- B
Create a read replica in the target region and promote it
Why wrong: Read replicas are for scaling reads, not for backup; promoting a read replica is not a backup strategy.
- C
Export the Spanner database to Avro files in Cloud Storage using gcloud spanner databases export
The export command creates a consistent snapshot as Avro files in GCS, which can be imported into another instance.
- D
Use Cloud Spanner's incremental backup feature to capture daily changes
Why wrong: Cloud Spanner does not support incremental backups; only full database exports are available.
Question 582 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 uses Cloud Spanner for its global transactional database and needs to create a consistent backup that can be restored to a different region. What is the recommended approach?
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 Avro files in Cloud Storage using gcloud spanner databases export
Option C is correct because exporting a Cloud Spanner database to Avro files in Cloud Storage using the gcloud spanner databases export command creates a full, consistent snapshot that can be restored to any region. This approach ensures transactional consistency across all tables and supports cross-region restoration, which is required when the backup must be available in a different region than the source.
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 the Cloud Console to take a managed backup of the Spanner instance
Why it's wrong here
Spanner does not have a managed backup feature; you must use export/import via CLI or API.
- ✗
Create a read replica in the target region and promote it
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas are for scaling reads, not for backup; promoting a read replica is not a backup strategy.
- ✓
Export the Spanner database to Avro files in Cloud Storage using gcloud spanner databases export
Why this is correct
The export command creates a consistent snapshot as Avro files in GCS, which can be imported into another instance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud Spanner's incremental backup feature to capture daily changes
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner does not support incremental backups; only full database exports are available.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that managed backups or read replicas can be used for cross-region restoration, but Cloud Spanner requires explicit export/import to move backups between regions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The gcloud spanner databases export command uses the Cloud Spanner API to perform a full, point-in-time consistent export by reading all data through the Spanner front-end servers, which ensures snapshot isolation. The exported Avro files are stored in Cloud Storage and can be imported into any Spanner instance, regardless of region, using the gcloud spanner databases import command. This approach is critical for disaster recovery scenarios where the primary region becomes unavailable and the backup must be restored to a secondary region with full consistency.
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 Avro files in Cloud Storage using gcloud spanner databases export — Option C is correct because exporting a Cloud Spanner database to Avro files in Cloud Storage using the gcloud spanner databases export command creates a full, consistent snapshot that can be restored to any region. This approach ensures transactional consistency across all tables and supports cross-region restoration, which is required when the backup must be available in a different region than the source.
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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