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Google ACE Using Cloud Storage to store sensitive data Practice Question
A company is using Cloud Storage to store sensitive data. They want to enforce that objects are automatically deleted after 90 days. Which configuration should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between retention policies (which protect data from deletion) and lifecycle rules (which automate deletion), leading candidates to confuse a retention policy with a deletion policy.
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
✓
Configure Object Lifecycle Management with a Delete action after 90 days.
Object Lifecycle Management allows you to set rules that automatically perform actions on objects after a specified number of days. By configuring a rule with a Delete action set to trigger after 90 days, objects in the bucket will be automatically removed, meeting the requirement without manual intervention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure Object Lifecycle Management with a Delete action after 90 days.
Why this is correct
Object Lifecycle Management is the native Cloud Storage mechanism for automatically deleting objects when they reach a specific age. A lifecycle rule with a Delete action after 90 days triggers the deletion of all current objects that have existed for more than 90 days, without requiring manual intervention or further scripted processes. This precisely matches the requirement to remove sensitive data after the 90-day retention window.
- ✗
Set a retention policy on the bucket for 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
A retention policy on a Cloud Storage bucket enforces a minimum duration for which objects must be kept; it prevents deletion or overwriting before the retention period elapses. This is actually a protective measure, not a deletion trigger, so objects would remain accessible and billable after 90 days unless manually deleted. The policy does not schedule any automatic removal of objects at the end of the retention period.
- ✗
Enable bucket locking with a retention period of 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling bucket locking with a retention period of 90 days means applying a retention policy and then 'locking' the bucket to make that policy permanent and immutable. Locking prevents the retention policy from being shortened, removed, or overridden, but it still does not initiate deletion. Objects remain protected by the locked retention policy and are never automatically deleted; they simply have a guaranteed minimum retention time, after which manual deletion is allowed.
- ✗
Enable object versioning and set a lifecycle rule to delete noncurrent versions.
Why it's wrong here
Versioning alone keeps multiple versions of an object, and a lifecycle rule to delete noncurrent versions will purge only older versions that have been superseded by newer ones. This leaves the current version (the live object) in the bucket indefinitely, so sensitive data would persist beyond 90 days. To meet the requirement, a lifecycle Delete action must target all versions or current objects, not just noncurrent versions.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ACE 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 ACE exam.