How to replicate Oracle data to BigQuery with minimal infrastructure?

You have an Oracle database deployed in a VM as part of a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) network. You want to replicate and continuously synchronize 50 tables to BigQuery. You want to minimize the need to manage infrastructure. What should you do?

  1. Deploy Apache Kafka in the same VPC network, use Kafka Connect Oracle Change Data Capture (CDC), and Dataflow to stream the Kafka topic to BigQuery.
  2. Create a Pub/Sub subscription to write to BigQuery directly. Deploy the Debezium Oracle connector to capture changes in the Oracle database, and sink to the Pub/Sub topic.
  3. Deploy Apache Kafka in the same VPC network, use Kafka Connect Oracle change data capture (CDC), and the Kafka Connect Google BigQuery Sink Connector.
  4. Create a Datastream service from Oracle to BigQuery, use a private connectivity configuration to the same VPC network, and a connection profile to BigQuery. Source Reference Answer

Community Votes

D
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Community Insight

This question tests the ability to select a fully managed Change Data Capture (CDC) service over self-managed solutions like Apache Kafka, which require significant operational overhead.

To replicate Oracle database tables to BigQuery with minimal infrastructure, use Google Cloud Datastream. The community consensus confirms Datastream is the optimal fully managed solution for Change Data Capture (CDC) tasks.

Candidates often select Option A or C because they functionally replicate data, but they fail to meet the requirement of minimizing infrastructure management since they require deploying and maintaining Apache Kafka clusters.

Community Discussion (3 comments)

raaad 👍 11 Selected: D
  • Datastream is a serverless and easy-to-use change data capture (CDC) and replication service. - You would create a Datastream service that sources from your Oracle database and targets BigQuery, with private connectivity configuration to the same VPC. - This option is designed to minimize the need to manage infrastructure and is a fully managed service.
JyoGCP 👍 2 Selected: D
D. Datastream
scaenruy 👍 2 Selected: D
D. Create a Datastream service from Oracle to BigQuery, use a private connectivity configuration to the same VPC network, and a connection profile to BigQuery.

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Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Google Cloud Datastream is a fully managed, serverless Change Data Capture (CDC) and replication service. It allows users to stream data from sources like Oracle directly into BigQuery without provisioning or managing servers. By using a private connectivity configuration, it securely integrates with the existing VPC, fulfilling the requirement to minimize infrastructure management.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Options A and C involve deploying and maintaining Apache Kafka clusters, which introduces significant operational overhead and infrastructure management. Option B implies managing Debezium connectors and likely Kafka infrastructure to bridge the gap to Pub/Sub, failing the "minimize infrastructure" criteria. While these methods work technically, they are not the optimal choice for a serverless architecture.

Community Comment Notes

Community comments strongly support Option D, emphasizing that Datastream is specifically designed to be serverless and easy to use. Commenters highlight that the service directly addresses the prompt's requirement to minimize management by handling the CDC process natively.

Official Reference

Exam Strategy

When questions ask to "minimize infrastructure management," immediately look for fully managed Google Cloud services like Datastream or Data Fusion before considering self-hosted solutions like Kafka. Avoid over-engineering the solution with complex open-source components if a managed service fits the use case.

Related Analysis

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