- A
BigQuery Data Transfer Service
Why wrong: Datastream is a separate service, not part of BigQuery Data Transfer Service.
- B
BigQuery legacy streaming inserts
Why wrong: Datastream uses the Storage Write API, not legacy streaming inserts.
- C
A Dataflow pipeline to transform the data
Why wrong: Datastream is a managed service and does not require Dataflow.
- D
BigQuery Storage Write API
Datastream uses the Storage Write API for streaming replication.
- E
A materialized view that merges the change stream into the final table
Datastream creates a materialized view to apply CDC changes to the target table.
Question 55 of 1,000
PDE Ingesting and Processing the Data Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of ingesting and processing 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 uses Cloud Datastream to replicate data from a MySQL database to BigQuery in near real-time. Which TWO BigQuery features are automatically used by Datastream for optimal performance and consistency? (Choose TWO.)
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
✓
BigQuery Storage Write API
Datastream uses the BigQuery Storage Write API (option D) to stream change data capture (CDC) events into BigQuery with exactly-once semantics and high throughput. It also automatically creates a materialized view (option E) that merges the change stream into the final table, ensuring consistent, near real-time replication without manual merge logic.
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.
- ✗
BigQuery Data Transfer Service
Why it's wrong here
Datastream is a separate service, not part of BigQuery Data Transfer Service.
- ✗
BigQuery legacy streaming inserts
Why it's wrong here
Datastream uses the Storage Write API, not legacy streaming inserts.
- ✗
A Dataflow pipeline to transform the data
Why it's wrong here
Datastream is a managed service and does not require Dataflow.
- ✓
BigQuery Storage Write API
Why this is correct
Datastream uses the Storage Write API for streaming replication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
A materialized view that merges the change stream into the final table
Why this is correct
Datastream creates a materialized view to apply CDC changes to the target table.
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 Datastream requires an intermediate Dataflow pipeline or legacy streaming inserts, when in fact it natively leverages the Storage Write API and materialized views for optimal performance and consistency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Storage Write API uses gRPC streams with offset-based checkpointing to achieve exactly-once delivery, while the materialized view is a BigQuery-managed, continuously refreshed view that applies CDC operations (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) from the change stream to the base table. This avoids the need for manual merge jobs and ensures consistency even under high-volume changes.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Ingesting and Processing the Data — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Ingesting and Processing the Data — This question tests Ingesting and Processing the Data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: BigQuery Storage Write API — Datastream uses the BigQuery Storage Write API (option D) to stream change data capture (CDC) events into BigQuery with exactly-once semantics and high throughput. It also automatically creates a materialized view (option E) that merges the change stream into the final table, ensuring consistent, near real-time replication without manual merge logic.
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.
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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