PCDE Plan and manage database infrastructure Practice Question
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of plan and manage database infrastructure. 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 is building a microservices architecture and needs to choose a database per service. Which THREE factors should they consider?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Consistency requirements
Consistency requirements are critical because different databases offer varying consistency models (e.g., ACID vs. BASE). For example, a financial transaction service requiring strong consistency would need a relational database like PostgreSQL, while a social media feed could tolerate eventual consistency with a NoSQL database like Cassandra. Choosing based on consistency ensures data integrity aligns with business needs.
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.
✓
Consistency requirements
Why this is correct
Different services may need strong or eventual consistency, affecting database choice (e.g., Spanner vs. Bigtable).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Preferred programming language
Why it's wrong here
Most databases have client libraries for all major languages, so this is not a primary factor.
✓
Expected query patterns
Why this is correct
Types of queries (point lookups, range scans, aggregations) guide whether to use SQL, NoSQL, or analytical databases.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Data size and growth rate
Why this is correct
Scalability requirements determine if a database can handle future data volumes (e.g., Cloud SQL vs. Spanner).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Number of developers
Why it's wrong here
Developer count is a resource consideration, not a technical one for database selection.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that programming language or team size should drive database choice, but the correct focus is on data-specific factors like consistency, query patterns, and scalability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, consistency requirements map to the CAP theorem: a database can guarantee only two of consistency, availability, and partition tolerance. For example, choosing a CP system like HBase ensures strong consistency but may sacrifice availability during network partitions. In real-world scenarios, a microservice handling inventory must use a CP database to prevent overselling, while a logging service can use an AP database like DynamoDB for high availability.
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.
Plan and manage database infrastructure — This question tests Plan and manage database infrastructure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Consistency requirements — Consistency requirements are critical because different databases offer varying consistency models (e.g., ACID vs. BASE). For example, a financial transaction service requiring strong consistency would need a relational database like PostgreSQL, while a social media feed could tolerate eventual consistency with a NoSQL database like Cassandra. Choosing based on consistency ensures data integrity aligns with business needs.
What should I do if I get this PCDE 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.
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Question Discussion
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