- A
Create a cross-region read replica and promote it during disaster
Cross-region read replicas have minimal replication lag, providing low RPO and RTO within minutes after promotion.
- B
Use point-in-time recovery with daily backups and restore into a new instance
Why wrong: Cross-region backup restore provides RPO of hours (backup age) and RTO of hours, insufficient for a 5-minute RPO target.
- C
Configure a scheduled export of the database to Cloud Storage and import in DR region
Why wrong: Exports are point-in-time and have high RPO (frequency) and RTO (time to import). Not suitable for low RPO/RTO.
- D
Enable HA configuration in a single region
Why wrong: HA failover is automatic but only works within the same region; does not protect against regional failure.
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. 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.
An organization requires a disaster recovery solution for Cloud SQL with a target RPO of less than 5 minutes and RTO of less than 2 hours. The primary region is us-central1, and the DR region is us-west1. Which approach should they use?
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.
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
Create a cross-region read replica and promote it during disaster
Cross-region read replicas provide an RPO equal to replication lag (typically <5s) and RTO of minutes (manual promotion). This meets the requirements. Cross-region backup restore would have an RPO equal to the last backup age (hours) and RTO of hours. HA failover is for same-region only. PITR alone does not provide cross-region DR.
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 cross-region read replica and promote it during disaster
Why this is correct
Cross-region read replicas have minimal replication lag, providing low RPO and RTO within minutes after promotion.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use point-in-time recovery with daily backups and restore into a new instance
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region backup restore provides RPO of hours (backup age) and RTO of hours, insufficient for a 5-minute RPO target.
- ✗
Configure a scheduled export of the database to Cloud Storage and import in DR region
Why it's wrong here
Exports are point-in-time and have high RPO (frequency) and RTO (time to import). Not suitable for low RPO/RTO.
- ✗
Enable HA configuration in a single region
Why it's wrong here
HA failover is automatic but only works within the same region; does not protect against regional failure.
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.
- →
Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCDOE questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCDOE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCDOE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Design and Plan Database Solutions practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Design and Plan Database Solutions.
Manage Database Solutions practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Manage Database Solutions.
Migrate Database Solutions practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Migrate Database Solutions.
Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Design for Reliability, Scalability, and Disaster Recovery.
Bootstrapping a Google Cloud organization for DevOps practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Bootstrapping a Google Cloud organization for DevOps.
Managing service incidents practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Managing service incidents.
Managing Google Cloud costs practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Managing Google Cloud costs.
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines.
Implementing service monitoring strategies practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Implementing service monitoring strategies.
Optimizing service performance practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Optimizing service performance.
PCDOE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to PCDOE fundamentals.
PCDOE scenario practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to PCDOE scenario.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCDOE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Create a cross-region read replica and promote it during disaster — Cross-region read replicas provide an RPO equal to replication lag (typically <5s) and RTO of minutes (manual promotion). This meets the requirements. Cross-region backup restore would have an RPO equal to the last backup age (hours) and RTO of hours. HA failover is for same-region only. PITR alone does not provide cross-region DR.
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". 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
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.