- A
Apply an organization policy with a constraint that restricts the location of Cloud Spanner resources to approved regions.
Organization policies can enforce location restrictions on resources.
- B
Create a Cloud Spanner instance in the desired region and configure a backup in a different region for disaster recovery.
Why wrong: This does not enforce that data stays only in approved regions.
- C
Configure a VPC Service Controls perimeter to restrict access to Cloud Spanner.
Why wrong: VPC Service Controls control access, not data location.
- D
Use Cloud Spanner with data residency constraints by selecting a multi-region configuration that includes only approved regions.
Why wrong: Multi-region configurations often include pre-defined regions that may not match the approved list.
PCSE Ensuring data protection Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring data protection. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 multinational organization must store customer data only in specific geographic regions to comply with data residency regulations. They use Cloud Spanner for their primary database. What should they do to enforce that data is stored only in approved regions?
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
Apply an organization policy with a constraint that restricts the location of Cloud Spanner resources to approved regions.
Organization policies with resource location constraints allow you to enforce that Cloud Spanner instances are created only in approved geographic regions. This policy is evaluated at resource creation time and prevents the deployment of Spanner instances outside the specified regions, directly addressing data residency compliance requirements.
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.
- ✓
Apply an organization policy with a constraint that restricts the location of Cloud Spanner resources to approved regions.
Why this is correct
Organization policies can enforce location restrictions on resources.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a Cloud Spanner instance in the desired region and configure a backup in a different region for disaster recovery.
Why it's wrong here
This does not enforce that data stays only in approved regions.
- ✗
Configure a VPC Service Controls perimeter to restrict access to Cloud Spanner.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls control access, not data location.
- ✗
Use Cloud Spanner with data residency constraints by selecting a multi-region configuration that includes only approved regions.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-region configurations often include pre-defined regions that may not match the approved list.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between data residency enforcement (location constraints) and access control (VPC Service Controls) or data protection (backups), leading candidates to confuse network perimeters with geographic storage restrictions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Organization policy constraints for resource location are implemented using the `constraints/gcp.resourceLocations` list constraint, which specifies allowed regions. When a Cloud Spanner instance is created, the policy is evaluated against the instance's placement, and if the region is not in the allowed list, the creation fails. This mechanism works at the Google Cloud resource hierarchy level (organization, folder, or project) and can be combined with other policies like `constraints/gcp.restrictResourceLocations` for more granular control.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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.
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Ensuring data protection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Ensuring data protection — This question tests Ensuring data protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply an organization policy with a constraint that restricts the location of Cloud Spanner resources to approved regions. — Organization policies with resource location constraints allow you to enforce that Cloud Spanner instances are created only in approved geographic regions. This policy is evaluated at resource creation time and prevents the deployment of Spanner instances outside the specified regions, directly addressing data residency compliance requirements.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.
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