Google Cloud Digital Leader Practice Exam

Which is the best SQL-based storage option for a transactional workload that requires local or regional scalability?

1. Cloud Storage

2. Cloud Spanner

3. BigQuery

4. Cloud SQL

The correct answer is: Cloud SQL

The best SQL-based storage option for a transactional workload requiring local or regional scalability is Cloud SQL. Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service provided by Google Cloud that supports common SQL databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. It is designed specifically for transactional workloads, allowing for complex queries and supporting ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) properties, which are critical for maintaining data integrity in transactional applications. When it comes to local or regional scalability, Cloud SQL can scale vertically to a certain extent by adding more resources (CPU, memory, storage) to the existing instance, and it also supports read replicas for improved performance and availability. This makes it suitable for applications that need to balance workload demands and service high availability within a specific geographic region. Other options may not provide the same level of transactional support or regional scalability. For instance, while Cloud Spanner does offer scalability across multiple regions with high availability, it is more suited for globally distributed applications that require horizontal scalability and it introduces additional complexity. Cloud Storage is an object storage system that does not support SQL queries or transactional workloads. BigQuery, on the other hand, is optimized for analytical workloads and operates on a serverless model rather than being designed for