- A
Use the Bigtable change streams feature (currently in preview) to push alerts to Pub/Sub, then a Cloud Function sends the email.
Bigtable change streams (preview) allow streaming changes to Pub/Sub for real-time processing.
- B
Enable Bigtable replication and set up a trigger in the replica.
Why wrong: Bigtable replication is for availability, not event-driven processing.
- C
Write a Dataflow pipeline that reads from Bigtable and writes to Cloud Storage.
Why wrong: This would be batch-oriented and not real-time for alerts.
- D
Create a scheduled Cloud Function that polls Bigtable every minute for new alerts.
Why wrong: Polling is inefficient and not real-time.
Question 225 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.
You are designing a polyglot persistence architecture for an IoT platform. Device telemetry is stored in Cloud Bigtable for ingestion and low-latency queries. When a device registers a high-priority alert, you need to trigger an email notification. What is the recommended approach to decouple the alert processing from Bigtable?
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
✓
Use the Bigtable change streams feature (currently in preview) to push alerts to Pub/Sub, then a Cloud Function sends the email.
Bigtable does not have built-in change data capture. A common pattern is to write an application that, upon detecting an alert, publishes a message to Pub/Sub. A Cloud Function subscribed to that topic can then send the email. This decouples processing from the database.
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 Bigtable change streams feature (currently in preview) to push alerts to Pub/Sub, then a Cloud Function sends the email.
Why this is correct
Bigtable change streams (preview) allow streaming changes to Pub/Sub for real-time processing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Bigtable replication and set up a trigger in the replica.
Why it's wrong here
Bigtable replication is for availability, not event-driven processing.
- ✗
Write a Dataflow pipeline that reads from Bigtable and writes to Cloud Storage.
Why it's wrong here
This would be batch-oriented and not real-time for alerts.
- ✗
Create a scheduled Cloud Function that polls Bigtable every minute for new alerts.
Why it's wrong here
Polling is inefficient and not real-time.
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 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 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.
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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: Use the Bigtable change streams feature (currently in preview) to push alerts to Pub/Sub, then a Cloud Function sends the email. — Bigtable does not have built-in change data capture. A common pattern is to write an application that, upon detecting an alert, publishes a message to Pub/Sub. A Cloud Function subscribed to that topic can then send the email. This decouples processing from the database.
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.
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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