You are designing a database strategy for a new web application. You plan to start with a small pilot in one country and eventually expand to millions of users in a global audience. You need to ensure that the application can run 24/7 with minimal downtime for maintenance. What should you do?
To ensure minimal downtime and global scalability, you should use Cloud Spanner in a multi-region configuration. Cloud Spanner offers strong consistency, high availability, and the ability to scale seamlessly when the application grows from a single country to a global audience. Starting with a multi-region setup will save the potential complexity and downtime that could arise from transitioning between regions in the future, ensuring that the application is prepared for both initial and future demands.
Changing my vote to A
"You plan to start with a small pilot in one country" == small spanner ==> regional.
A. Initially it’s a choice between Cloud SQL and Cloud Spanner. Given the final objective is a massive user base on a global scale, it suggests Spanner. Therefore, starting with Cloud SQL then migrating to Cloud Spanner doesn’t seem like a smart move. Eliminate C and D. You can start small with Spanner (single region, 100 processing units) and convert to multi-region by contacting Google. The wording to that effect is on the Edit Spanner screen in the GCP console. So, given those details it eliminates B. Best answer is A.
Going with B because - Small pilot in one "country". A country would be multiple regions - Don't have to change to multi-region spanner in the future. - Q doesn't say anything about being cost-efficient so might as well start with multi-region.
https://cloud.google.com/spanner/docs/instance-configurations#move-instance You can move your Spanner instance from any instance configuration to any other instance configuration, including between regional and multi-region configurations. Moving your instance does not cause downtime, and Spanner continues to provide the usual transaction guarantees, including strong consistency, during the move. https://cloud.google.com/spanner/docs/move-instance https://cloud.google.com/spanner/docs/move-instance#how-instance-move
https://cloud.google.com/spanner/docs/instance-configurations#move-instance You can move your Spanner instance from any instance configuration to any other instance configuration, including between regional and multi-region configurations. Moving your instance does not cause downtime, and Spanner continues to provide the usual transaction guarantees, including strong consistency, during the move.
B: Use high availability (HA) *** Cloud SQL with multiple zones.
I'll go for B
You plan to start with a small pilot in one country. so country is multi region right? so B ?
multi-regional
if you are eventually going to expand as the question indicates then just go with multi-regional. Answer is B. Also agree one country has multpile regions. Doesn't say small country just one country.
correct answer is B. Use Cloud Spanner in a multi-region configuration.
Voting for A
Cloud Spanner is designed to scale globally, making it ideal for applications that will grow to millions of users across different regions.
multiregion spanner gives you 5x9s and there was no mention of controlling initial costs so B is correct.