The correct answer is to consider maximum storage capacity and performance characteristics like IOPS and throughput. For a large 5 TB database, the Cloud SQL edition must support at least that storage volume—Enterprise Plus supports up to 30 TB, while Enterprise caps at 10 TB—making capacity a non-negotiable factor. Equally critical are the IOPS and throughput limits, which vary by edition and directly govern how fast your database can read and write data under heavy load. On the Google Professional Cloud Database Engineer exam, this question tests your ability to map workload requirements to Cloud SQL edition features, often trapping candidates who focus only on vCPUs or memory. A common memory tip is “Size and Speed”: first confirm the edition can hold your data (size), then ensure it can move it fast enough (speed).
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 planning to migrate a large on-premises MySQL database (5 TB) to Cloud SQL. They need to choose the appropriate Cloud SQL edition. Which two factors should they consider? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Maximum storage capacity supported by each edition.
Option C is correct because Cloud SQL editions (Enterprise, Enterprise Plus) have different maximum storage capacities; for example, Enterprise Plus supports up to 30 TB while Enterprise supports up to 10 TB. For a 5 TB database, the edition must support at least that capacity, making this a key factor. Option D is correct because performance characteristics like maximum IOPS and throughput vary by edition and directly impact database performance, especially for a large 5 TB workload.
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.
✗
Availability of regional high availability.
Why it's wrong here
Both editions support regional HA.
✗
Automated backup capabilities.
Why it's wrong here
Both editions support automated backups.
✓
Maximum storage capacity supported by each edition.
Why this is correct
Enterprise Plus supports 30 TB, Enterprise supports 16 TB.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Performance characteristics such as maximum IOPS and throughput.
Why this is correct
Enterprise Plus provides higher throughput and IOPS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Integration with VPC networks.
Why it's wrong here
Both editions integrate with VPC.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse features that are available across all editions (like VPC integration, backups, or HA) with edition-specific differentiators, leading them to select options that are not actually factors in edition choice.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL editions differ in storage limits, IOPS, and throughput due to underlying hardware and configuration constraints; for instance, Enterprise Plus uses regional persistent disks with higher IOPS limits (up to 100,000 IOPS) compared to Enterprise (up to 30,000 IOPS). Additionally, the maximum storage capacity directly affects the ability to scale the database without migration, and for a 5 TB database, choosing an edition with insufficient storage cap would require a future edition upgrade or data migration. Understanding these limits is critical when planning for growth and performance SLAs.
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 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 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: Maximum storage capacity supported by each edition. — Option C is correct because Cloud SQL editions (Enterprise, Enterprise Plus) have different maximum storage capacities; for example, Enterprise Plus supports up to 30 TB while Enterprise supports up to 10 TB. For a 5 TB database, the edition must support at least that capacity, making this a key factor. Option D is correct because performance characteristics like maximum IOPS and throughput vary by edition and directly impact database performance, especially for a large 5 TB workload.
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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