- A
Change the app profile routing policy to any-replica
any-replica routing sends queries to the closest cluster, reducing latency.
- B
Implement client-side logic to choose which cluster to query
Why wrong: Client-side logic is possible but more complex and not the built-in solution. The question asks what they should change, implying a configuration change.
- C
Modify the primary cluster to be in us-west1
Why wrong: Changing the primary cluster does not affect routing; the app profile still routes to the primary regardless of location.
- D
Update the app profile to use read-failover routing
Why wrong: read-failover is designed for disaster recovery; it does not route based on proximity during normal operation.
Question 540 of 1,000
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. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 uses Cloud Bigtable for their analytics pipeline. They set up replication with a primary cluster in us-central1 and a secondary in us-west1. They notice that during normal operation, queries always hit the primary cluster even if the secondary is closer. What should they change to route queries to the nearest cluster automatically?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Clue:
"always"Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
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
✓
Change the app profile routing policy to any-replica
The default routing policy for Bigtable replication is single-cluster (to the primary). To route to the nearest healthy cluster, they need to enable the any-replica routing policy in their Bigtable app profile. read-failover is for DR failover, not for normal operations. Changing the primary cluster does not solve the routing issue. Client-side logic is an option but not a built-in solution.
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.
- ✓
Change the app profile routing policy to any-replica
Why this is correct
any-replica routing sends queries to the closest cluster, reducing latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "primary", "always" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Implement client-side logic to choose which cluster to query
Why it's wrong here
Client-side logic is possible but more complex and not the built-in solution. The question asks what they should change, implying a configuration change.
- ✗
Modify the primary cluster to be in us-west1
Why it's wrong here
Changing the primary cluster does not affect routing; the app profile still routes to the primary regardless of location.
- ✗
Update the app profile to use read-failover routing
Why it's wrong here
read-failover is designed for disaster recovery; it does not route based on proximity during normal operation.
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 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 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.
- →
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: Change the app profile routing policy to any-replica — The default routing policy for Bigtable replication is single-cluster (to the primary). To route to the nearest healthy cluster, they need to enable the any-replica routing policy in their Bigtable app profile. read-failover is for DR failover, not for normal operations. Changing the primary cluster does not solve the routing issue. Client-side logic is an option but not a built-in solution.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary", "always". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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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