PCDE Plan and manage database infrastructure Practice Question
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of plan and manage database infrastructure. 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.
A Database Engineer is responsible for managing a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance. The engineer needs to ensure that automated backups are retained for 14 days and that point-in-time recovery (PITR) is enabled. Which configuration should the engineer set?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable automated backups, set backup retention to 14 days, and enable binary logging.
Option B is correct because enabling automated backups with a 14-day retention ensures backup files are kept for the required duration, and enabling binary logging (which is required for PITR) allows point-in-time recovery by replaying transaction logs against a base backup. In Cloud SQL for MySQL, PITR is not automatically enabled with automated backups; binary logging must be explicitly enabled.
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.
✗
Create scheduled manual backups each day and retain them for 14 days; PITR is not needed because backups are daily.
Why it's wrong here
Manual backups do not enable PITR; PITR requires transaction logs.
✓
Enable automated backups, set backup retention to 14 days, and enable binary logging.
Why this is correct
Automated backups with binary logging enable PITR.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable automated backups with a retention of 14 days; PITR is automatically enabled.
Why it's wrong here
PITR requires binary logging to be explicitly enabled.
✗
Enable automated backups with 14-day retention and set up a cross-region replica for disaster recovery.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region replication provides high availability, not PITR.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume enabling automated backups automatically enables point-in-time recovery, but Cloud SQL for MySQL requires binary logging to be separately enabled for PITR functionality.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Point-in-time recovery in Cloud SQL for MySQL relies on binary logs (binlogs) that record all changes to the database. When PITR is enabled, Cloud SQL uses the most recent automated backup and replays the binary logs from that point to the desired recovery time. Binary logging increases storage and I/O overhead, so it is not enabled by default; the engineer must explicitly enable it in the instance settings.
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: Enable automated backups, set backup retention to 14 days, and enable binary logging. — Option B is correct because enabling automated backups with a 14-day retention ensures backup files are kept for the required duration, and enabling binary logging (which is required for PITR) allows point-in-time recovery by replaying transaction logs against a base backup. In Cloud SQL for MySQL, PITR is not automatically enabled with automated backups; binary logging must be explicitly enabled.
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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