- A
BigQuery federated queries using Cloud SQL external table
Federated queries allow querying Cloud SQL directly.
- B
Cloud SQL read replicas
Why wrong: Read replicas offload reads from the primary but do not integrate with BigQuery.
- C
Datastream to replicate Cloud SQL to BigQuery
Why wrong: This moves data, which may still impact source if heavy replication is used.
- D
BigQuery Omni
Why wrong: Omni is for cross-cloud queries, not for Cloud SQL.
Question 713 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 wants to run analytics queries on Cloud SQL data without impacting the transactional workload. They need to query the Cloud SQL database directly from BigQuery. Which BigQuery feature 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
✓
BigQuery federated queries using Cloud SQL external table
BigQuery federated queries using Cloud SQL external tables allow you to query Cloud SQL databases directly from BigQuery without moving or replicating the data. This feature uses a federated query engine that pushes down SQL operations to Cloud SQL, minimizing the impact on the transactional workload by only reading the required data on demand.
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.
- ✓
BigQuery federated queries using Cloud SQL external table
Why this is correct
Federated queries allow querying Cloud SQL directly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Cloud SQL read replicas
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas offload reads from the primary but do not integrate with BigQuery.
- ✗
Datastream to replicate Cloud SQL to BigQuery
Why it's wrong here
This moves data, which may still impact source if heavy replication is used.
- ✗
BigQuery Omni
Why it's wrong here
Omni is for cross-cloud queries, not for Cloud SQL.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between direct querying (federated queries) and data replication (Datastream), so the trap here is that candidates may choose Datastream because it is a common pattern for moving data to BigQuery, but the question explicitly requires querying the Cloud SQL database directly without impacting the transactional workload.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BigQuery federated queries use the BigQuery Connection API to establish a secure connection to Cloud SQL via a private IP or public IP with SSL. The query engine pushes down filtering and aggregation operations to Cloud SQL using the Cloud SQL JDBC driver, reducing data transfer and improving performance. In practice, this is ideal for occasional analytical queries on live transactional data, but it is not suitable for high-frequency or large-scale queries due to potential latency and resource contention.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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 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: BigQuery federated queries using Cloud SQL external table — BigQuery federated queries using Cloud SQL external tables allow you to query Cloud SQL databases directly from BigQuery without moving or replicating the data. This feature uses a federated query engine that pushes down SQL operations to Cloud SQL, minimizing the impact on the transactional workload by only reading the required data on demand.
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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