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 migrating their on-premises Oracle database to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL. They want to minimize downtime during the cutover. Which two strategies should the database engineer recommend? (Choose 2.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Database Migration Service with continuous replication.
Database Migration Service (DMS) with continuous replication is correct because it supports minimal-downtime migrations from Oracle to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL by continuously replicating changes from the source to the target until cutover. This allows the source database to remain operational during most of the migration, with only a brief pause to finalize the switch.
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 VPN tunnel for data transfer.
Why it's wrong here
VPN is only connectivity; it doesn't replicate data continuously.
✓
Use Database Migration Service with continuous replication.
Why this is correct
DMS allows continuous replication with minimal downtime.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Use a third-party tool like pglogical for replication.
Why this is correct
pglogical supports logical replication with minimal downtime.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL with read replicas and promote.
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas are for read scaling, not primary migration.
✗
Perform an export using pg_dump and import using psql.
Why it's wrong here
This is an offline method, causing downtime.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that any replication tool (like pglogical) can be used across heterogeneous databases, but pglogical only works between PostgreSQL instances, not from Oracle to PostgreSQL.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Database Migration Service uses a continuous replication mechanism based on Oracle LogMiner or Oracle GoldenGate to capture changes from Oracle redo logs and apply them to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL in near real-time. The cutover process involves stopping writes to the source, waiting for replication lag to reach zero, and then promoting the target to become the new primary. In contrast, pglogical is a PostgreSQL extension that provides logical replication, but it requires the source to be PostgreSQL, not Oracle, making it unsuitable for this Oracle-to-PostgreSQL migration scenario.
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: Use Database Migration Service with continuous replication. — Database Migration Service (DMS) with continuous replication is correct because it supports minimal-downtime migrations from Oracle to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL by continuously replicating changes from the source to the target until cutover. This allows the source database to remain operational during most of the migration, with only a brief pause to finalize the switch.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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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