- A
Create a BigQuery external table pointing to the Cloud Storage location.
External tables allow querying data in GCS without loading. Note that partitioning and clustering are not available for external tables.
- B
Use Cloud Dataproc to run Spark SQL on the data.
Why wrong: Dataproc is an alternative but does not use BigQuery's SQL engine.
- C
Load the data into BigQuery tables using a batch load job.
Why wrong: Loading moves data into BigQuery storage, which the requirement says to avoid.
- D
Use BigLake tables with Cloud Storage.
Why wrong: BigLake tables are a type of external table but require BigLake API enablement and additional configuration; external tables are the direct answer.
Question 557 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 team needs to run analytics on data stored in Cloud Storage (Parquet format) without moving it into BigQuery storage. They want to use SQL queries and BigQuery features like caching and partitioning. Which approach should they use?
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 BigQuery external table pointing to the Cloud Storage location.
Option A is correct because an external table in BigQuery allows you to query data stored in Cloud Storage (Parquet format) using standard SQL without moving the data into BigQuery's managed storage. This approach supports BigQuery features like caching (results caching) and partitioning (by defining a Hive-partitioned external table), meeting all 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.
- ✓
Create a BigQuery external table pointing to the Cloud Storage location.
Why this is correct
External tables allow querying data in GCS without loading. Note that partitioning and clustering are not available for external tables.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud Dataproc to run Spark SQL on the data.
Why it's wrong here
Dataproc is an alternative but does not use BigQuery's SQL engine.
- ✗
Load the data into BigQuery tables using a batch load job.
Why it's wrong here
Loading moves data into BigQuery storage, which the requirement says to avoid.
- ✗
Use BigLake tables with Cloud Storage.
Why it's wrong here
BigLake tables are a type of external table but require BigLake API enablement and additional configuration; external tables are the direct answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between external tables (which query data in place) and BigLake tables (which add security and governance layers but are not required for basic SQL queries with caching and partitioning), leading candidates to overcomplicate the solution by choosing BigLake when a simple external table suffices.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
External tables in BigQuery use the BigQuery Storage API to read Parquet files directly from Cloud Storage, supporting columnar projection and predicate pushdown for efficient queries. Hive-partitioned external tables allow you to leverage partitioning defined by the directory structure (e.g., /year=2023/month=01/), enabling partition pruning without moving data. This is ideal for scenarios where data is frequently updated in Cloud Storage and you want to avoid duplication and storage costs.
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.
- →
Storing the Data — study guide chapter
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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: Create a BigQuery external table pointing to the Cloud Storage location. — Option A is correct because an external table in BigQuery allows you to query data stored in Cloud Storage (Parquet format) using standard SQL without moving the data into BigQuery's managed storage. This approach supports BigQuery features like caching (results caching) and partitioning (by defining a Hive-partitioned external table), meeting all requirements.
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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