- A
Use gcloud sql instances patch with the --disk-size flag to set a larger size.
Why wrong: This manually resizes the disk but does not enable automatic increase.
- B
Use gcloud sql instances patch with the --storage-auto-increase flag.
This enables automatic storage increase for the Cloud SQL instance.
- C
Create a cron job to monitor disk usage and increase storage via API.
Why wrong: This is unnecessary because Cloud SQL provides a built-in automatic storage increase feature.
- D
Use gcloud sql instances create to create a new instance with larger storage.
Why wrong: Creating a new instance is overkill; the existing instance can be patched.
Question 447 of 1,000
PCDOE Manage Database Solutions Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of manage database solutions. 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 Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL instance is running out of storage. The engineer wants to configure automatic storage increase to avoid manual intervention. What should they do?
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 gcloud sql instances patch with the --storage-auto-increase flag.
Option B is correct because Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL supports automatic storage increase, which can be enabled via the `--storage-auto-increase` flag in the `gcloud sql instances patch` command. This feature automatically increases the instance's storage capacity when it approaches the configured limit, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
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 gcloud sql instances patch with the --disk-size flag to set a larger size.
Why it's wrong here
This manually resizes the disk but does not enable automatic increase.
- ✓
Use gcloud sql instances patch with the --storage-auto-increase flag.
Why this is correct
This enables automatic storage increase for the Cloud SQL instance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a cron job to monitor disk usage and increase storage via API.
Why it's wrong here
This is unnecessary because Cloud SQL provides a built-in automatic storage increase feature.
- ✗
Use gcloud sql instances create to create a new instance with larger storage.
Why it's wrong here
Creating a new instance is overkill; the existing instance can be patched.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse manual resizing (using `--disk-size`) with automatic storage increase, or think that a custom monitoring solution is required, when Cloud SQL's built-in `--storage-auto-increase` flag is the correct and simplest solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When automatic storage increase is enabled, Cloud SQL monitors the instance's disk usage and automatically increases the storage size by a predefined increment (typically 50 GB or 10% of the current size, whichever is larger) when free space drops below a threshold (usually 5-10%). This feature is available for all Cloud SQL database engines (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server) and can be enabled or disabled at any time without downtime. In a real-world scenario, if an application experiences unexpected data growth, automatic storage increase prevents service disruption while the team investigates the root cause.
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.
- →
Manage Database Solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
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Targeted practice on this topic area only
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDOE question test?
Manage Database Solutions — This question tests Manage Database Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use gcloud sql instances patch with the --storage-auto-increase flag. — Option B is correct because Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL supports automatic storage increase, which can be enabled via the `--storage-auto-increase` flag in the `gcloud sql instances patch` command. This feature automatically increases the instance's storage capacity when it approaches the configured limit, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCDOE 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 PCDOE exam.
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