- A
External replica
Why wrong: External replica is for replicating to an external instance, not within Cloud SQL regions.
- B
Automatic backups with PITR
Why wrong: Backups are for recovery, not for offloading reads.
- C
Cross-region read replica
Cloud SQL supports creating read replicas in different regions to offload reads and provide DR.
- D
High availability (HA) configuration
Why wrong: HA provides a standby in a different zone within the same region, not a cross-region read replica.
Question 124 of 1,000
PDE Storing the Data Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of storing the data. 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 has a Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL instance and wants to create a read replica to offload read traffic from the primary. They also need to ensure the replica is in a different region for disaster recovery. Which Cloud SQL feature 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
✓
Cross-region read replica
Cross-region read replicas in Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL allow you to create a replica in a different region from the primary instance. This offloads read traffic from the primary while also providing disaster recovery capabilities by maintaining a standby copy in a geographically separate location. The replica uses asynchronous replication to stay up-to-date with the primary.
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.
- ✗
External replica
Why it's wrong here
External replica is for replicating to an external instance, not within Cloud SQL regions.
- ✗
Automatic backups with PITR
Why it's wrong here
Backups are for recovery, not for offloading reads.
- ✓
Cross-region read replica
Why this is correct
Cloud SQL supports creating read replicas in different regions to offload reads and provide DR.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
High availability (HA) configuration
Why it's wrong here
HA provides a standby in a different zone within the same region, not a cross-region read replica.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between high availability (HA) within a region and cross-region replicas, where candidates mistakenly choose HA configuration thinking it provides regional redundancy, but HA only protects against zone-level failures, not regional disasters.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL cross-region read replicas use asynchronous replication based on PostgreSQL's streaming replication protocol, which means the replica may lag behind the primary by a few seconds to minutes depending on network latency and workload. This lag is acceptable for read offloading and disaster recovery but not for applications requiring strong consistency. In a real-world scenario, you can promote a cross-region read replica to a standalone primary if the original region fails, but you must be prepared for potential data loss from the replication lag.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
- →
Storing the Data — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Storing the Data — This question tests Storing the Data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cross-region read replica — Cross-region read replicas in Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL allow you to create a replica in a different region from the primary instance. This offloads read traffic from the primary while also providing disaster recovery capabilities by maintaining a standby copy in a geographically separate location. The replica uses asynchronous replication to stay up-to-date with the primary.
What should I do if I get this PDE 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: Jul 4, 2026
This PDE 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 PDE exam.
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