This PDE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring solution quality. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
After migrating a production Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL database to a larger machine type, the team notices slower queries. What is the best step to identify the cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable pg_stat_statements and review query execution times.
Option C is correct because pg_stat_statements is a PostgreSQL extension that provides detailed query execution statistics, including total execution time, number of calls, and I/O metrics. After migrating to a larger machine type, slower queries often stem from plan changes due to different hardware characteristics or configuration settings; reviewing pg_stat_statements output helps pinpoint which queries are underperforming and why.
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.
✗
Reindex all tables to improve index efficiency.
Why it's wrong here
Reindexing is a maintenance task, not a diagnostic step; it may not address the root cause.
✗
Enable query caching through the database flags.
Why it's wrong here
PostgreSQL does not have a built-in query cache; enabling external caching is complex and not a first step.
✓
Enable pg_stat_statements and review query execution times.
Why this is correct
This extension captures per-query statistics, allowing identification of regressed queries.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase max_connections to handle more concurrent queries.
Why it's wrong here
Higher connections can actually increase contention; it does not help diagnose why queries are slower.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that performance issues after a migration are always due to indexing or connection limits, when in fact the most effective first step is to gather query-level metrics using built-in tools like pg_stat_statements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
pg_stat_statements works by tracking normalized query plans and accumulating metrics like total_time, min/max/mean time, rows returned, and shared block hits/reads. After a migration, the PostgreSQL query planner may choose different plans due to changes in the cost model (e.g., seq_page_cost vs random_page_cost) or memory settings (e.g., work_mem, shared_buffers), leading to slower execution; pg_stat_statements reveals which queries are affected and allows targeted tuning of planner constants or indexes.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Ensuring solution quality — This question tests Ensuring solution quality — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable pg_stat_statements and review query execution times. — Option C is correct because pg_stat_statements is a PostgreSQL extension that provides detailed query execution statistics, including total execution time, number of calls, and I/O metrics. After migrating to a larger machine type, slower queries often stem from plan changes due to different hardware characteristics or configuration settings; reviewing pg_stat_statements output helps pinpoint which queries are underperforming and why.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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