- A
Perform regular backups to Cloud Storage and restore in a different zone.
Why wrong: Backup restore has RPO = backup interval (hours) and RTO = hours (restore time). Not acceptable.
- B
Enable cross-region replication using a read replica.
Why wrong: Cross-region read replicas have RPO = replication lag (could exceed 1 minute during peak) and RTO = minutes (manual promotion). Not best for <2 min RTO.
- C
Enable point-in-time recovery (PITR) with transaction log backups.
Why wrong: PITR is used for recovering to a specific point in time, not for zone failover. It does not provide automatic failover to a different zone.
- D
Configure Cloud SQL HA (high availability) with a standby in a different zone.
Cloud SQL HA provides automatic failover to a standby in a different zone within same region, RPO near zero, RTO <60 seconds, meeting both requirements.
PCDOE Practice Question: Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of design for reliability, scalability, and disaster recovery. 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 needs to achieve a recovery point objective (RPO) of less than 1 minute and a recovery time objective (RTO) of less than 2 minutes in the event of a zone failure. Which disaster recovery strategy should be used?
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
Configure Cloud SQL HA (high availability) with a standby in a different zone.
Cloud SQL HA configuration provides automatic failover to a standby in a different zone within the same region, with RPO near zero and RTO typically under 60 seconds. Cross-region read replicas have RPO equal to replication lag (could be minutes) and RTO of minutes due to manual promotion. Cross-region backup restore has RPO equal to backup age (hours) and RTO of hours. Point-in-time recovery (PITR) is for within-region data recovery, not zone failure failover.
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.
- ✗
Perform regular backups to Cloud Storage and restore in a different zone.
Why it's wrong here
Backup restore has RPO = backup interval (hours) and RTO = hours (restore time). Not acceptable.
- ✗
Enable cross-region replication using a read replica.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region read replicas have RPO = replication lag (could exceed 1 minute during peak) and RTO = minutes (manual promotion). Not best for <2 min RTO.
- ✗
Enable point-in-time recovery (PITR) with transaction log backups.
Why it's wrong here
PITR is used for recovering to a specific point in time, not for zone failover. It does not provide automatic failover to a different zone.
- ✓
Configure Cloud SQL HA (high availability) with a standby in a different zone.
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL HA provides automatic failover to a standby in a different zone within same region, RPO near zero, RTO <60 seconds, meeting both requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 PCDOE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDOE question test?
Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery — This question tests Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure Cloud SQL HA (high availability) with a standby in a different zone. — Cloud SQL HA configuration provides automatic failover to a standby in a different zone within the same region, with RPO near zero and RTO typically under 60 seconds. Cross-region read replicas have RPO equal to replication lag (could be minutes) and RTO of minutes due to manual promotion. Cross-region backup restore has RPO equal to backup age (hours) and RTO of hours. Point-in-time recovery (PITR) is for within-region data recovery, not zone failure failover.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE question wrong?
Identify which PCDOE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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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