The answer is Private Services Access, which is the correct choice because cross-region Cloud SQL read replicas require this configuration to establish connectivity between the peered VPC and the Cloud SQL service’s internal IP range. Private Services Access allocates an IP range in your VPC that Cloud SQL uses, enabling private, low-latency communication across regions without traversing the public internet. On the Google Professional Cloud Developer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Cloud SQL networking differs from compute-based solutions—many candidates mistakenly choose VPN or VPC peering, but Cloud SQL replicas cannot use those for cross-region replication. A common trap is assuming that dynamic routing or high-bandwidth dedicated interconnect is needed, but Private Services Access is the only supported method for private cross-region connectivity. Memory tip: think “Private Access for Private Replicas”—if the replica is in another region, you must allocate a private IP range first.
PCD Integrating Google Cloud services Practice Question
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of integrating google cloud services. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An organization uses Cloud SQL for MySQL and wants to set up a read replica in a different region to improve read latency for global users. What is the recommended way to configure network connectivity between the primary and replica?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Private Services Access
Option A is correct because cross-region Cloud SQL read replicas require Private Services Access to establish connectivity between the peered VPC and the Cloud SQL service. Option B is for VPN, option C is for dynamic routing, and option D is for high-bandwidth connectivity.
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 a Cloud Interconnect
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Interconnect is for dedicated connectivity between on-premises and GCP.
✗
Use Cloud VPN with dynamic routing
Why it's wrong here
Cloud VPN is for connectivity to on-premises, not for Cloud SQL replica networks.
✗
Use VPC peering between the regions
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering is between two VPCs, but Cloud SQL's VPC is managed by Google.
✓
Use Private Services Access
Why this is correct
Private Services Access allows the Cloud SQL service producer VPC to be peered with the customer VPC.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCD exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Integrating Google Cloud services — This question tests Integrating Google Cloud services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Private Services Access — Option A is correct because cross-region Cloud SQL read replicas require Private Services Access to establish connectivity between the peered VPC and the Cloud SQL service. Option B is for VPN, option C is for dynamic routing, and option D is for high-bandwidth connectivity.
What should I do if I get this PCD question wrong?
Identify which PCD exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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