- A
Create a new table with the index and migrate data manually
Why wrong: Unnecessarily complex and would require downtime or additional tooling.
- B
Use the Cloud Console to create the index; it requires a maintenance window
Why wrong: No maintenance window needed; online schema changes are supported.
- C
Take the table offline, create the index, then bring it back online
Why wrong: Spanner supports online schema changes; taking the table offline is unnecessary and causes downtime.
- D
Use the gcloud CLI to create the index; Spanner handles it as an online, non-blocking operation
Correct. Spanner DDL statements are online and non-blocking. The gcloud spanner databases ddl update command can be used.
Question 514 of 1,000
PCDOE Manage Database Solutions Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of manage database solutions. 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 uses Cloud Spanner for a global inventory system. They need to add a new index on an existing table to support a new query pattern without downtime. What is the correct approach to create the index?
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 the gcloud CLI to create the index; Spanner handles it as an online, non-blocking operation
Option D is correct because Cloud Spanner supports online schema changes, including index creation, without requiring downtime. When you use the gcloud CLI or the Cloud Console to create an index, Spanner performs the operation as a non-blocking, asynchronous background process that allows continued reads and writes on the table.
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 a new table with the index and migrate data manually
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessarily complex and would require downtime or additional tooling.
- ✗
Use the Cloud Console to create the index; it requires a maintenance window
Why it's wrong here
No maintenance window needed; online schema changes are supported.
- ✗
Take the table offline, create the index, then bring it back online
Why it's wrong here
Spanner supports online schema changes; taking the table offline is unnecessary and causes downtime.
- ✓
Use the gcloud CLI to create the index; Spanner handles it as an online, non-blocking operation
Why this is correct
Correct. Spanner DDL statements are online and non-blocking. The gcloud spanner databases ddl update command can be used.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that schema changes in a globally distributed database require downtime or manual migration, but Spanner's online schema change capability eliminates that need.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Spanner uses a distributed, multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) system and a two-phase commit protocol to ensure consistency. When creating an index, Spanner first records the schema change, then asynchronously backfills the index data using background transactions that respect read and write timestamps, allowing concurrent queries to proceed without interruption. In real-world scenarios, this enables global inventory systems to add new query paths (e.g., filtering by region or stock level) without any service disruption.
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.
Visual reference
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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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 the gcloud CLI to create the index; Spanner handles it as an online, non-blocking operation — Option D is correct because Cloud Spanner supports online schema changes, including index creation, without requiring downtime. When you use the gcloud CLI or the Cloud Console to create an index, Spanner performs the operation as a non-blocking, asynchronous background process that allows continued reads and writes on the table.
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.
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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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