- A
Use persistent disks to store application state.
Why wrong: Persistent disks may not be cleaned up and cost extra; state should be externalized.
- B
Use instance metadata to pass configuration parameters.
Metadata allows dynamic configuration without modifying the image.
- C
Use Cloud Functions to monitor instance termination.
Why wrong: Monitoring is useful but not a top best practice; consider using Cloud Audit Logs.
- D
Use startup scripts to prepare the instance environment.
Startup scripts automate setup each time an instance starts, essential for preemptible VMs.
- E
Use persistent disk snapshots for backup.
Why wrong: Snapshots are for persistent disks, not suitable for ephemeral preemptible VMs.
Question 396 of 1,000
mediumMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
Google ACE Practice Question: A company uses preemptible VMs for batch…
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of a company uses preemptible vms for batch…. 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.
A company uses preemptible VMs for batch processing. Which TWO best practices should be implemented to improve resilience and manageability? (Choose 2)
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 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
✓
Use instance metadata to pass configuration parameters.
Option B is correct because instance metadata is a key-value store that can be used to pass configuration parameters to preemptible VMs at boot time. Since preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, using metadata ensures that new instances can be recreated with the same configuration without manual intervention. This improves manageability by centralizing configuration and resilience by enabling automated re-provisioning.
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.
- ✗
Use persistent disks to store application state.
Why it's wrong here
Persistent disks may not be cleaned up and cost extra; state should be externalized.
- ✓
Use instance metadata to pass configuration parameters.
Why this is correct
Metadata allows dynamic configuration without modifying the image.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud Functions to monitor instance termination.
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring is useful but not a top best practice; consider using Cloud Audit Logs.
- ✓
Use startup scripts to prepare the instance environment.
Why this is correct
Startup scripts automate setup each time an instance starts, essential for preemptible VMs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use persistent disk snapshots for backup.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are for persistent disks, not suitable for ephemeral preemptible VMs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that persistent disks or snapshots are needed for resilience with preemptible VMs, but the correct approach is to treat them as stateless and use external storage for state, with metadata and startup scripts for configuration and initialization.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Preemptible VMs are Compute Engine instances that last up to 24 hours and can be terminated at any time with a 30-second warning. Using instance metadata (via the metadata server at 169.254.169.254) allows startup scripts to fetch configuration dynamically, enabling stateless design. Startup scripts (option D) are executed on every boot, making them ideal for initializing the environment, installing dependencies, and pulling work from a queue, which together ensure the VM can resume processing after preemption without manual intervention.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
Related practice questions
Related ACE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Configuring Access and Security practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Configuring Access and Security.
Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution.
Ensuring Successful Operation of a Cloud Solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Ensuring Successful Operation of a Cloud Solution.
Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution.
Setting Up a Cloud Solution Environment practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Setting Up a Cloud Solution Environment.
ACE fundamentals practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE fundamentals.
ACE scenario practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE scenario.
ACE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free ACE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use instance metadata to pass configuration parameters. — Option B is correct because instance metadata is a key-value store that can be used to pass configuration parameters to preemptible VMs at boot time. Since preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, using metadata ensures that new instances can be recreated with the same configuration without manual intervention. This improves manageability by centralizing configuration and resilience by enabling automated re-provisioning.
What should I do if I get this ACE 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More ACE practice questions
- A team's Cloud Build pipeline must: (1) run unit tests, (2) build a Docker image only if tests pass, (3) push the image…
- A team needs a database backup job to run every day at 2 AM UTC. The job calls an HTTP endpoint to trigger the backup. T…
- A team wants to receive an email alert when the average CPU utilization of VMs in a managed instance group exceeds 80% f…
- A Go service is consuming significantly more CPU than expected. The team suspects an inefficient function but doesn't kn…
- A network team is creating a new VPC and must decide between auto mode and custom mode. Why would they choose custom mod…
- A company organizes its GCP projects by business unit — Finance, Engineering, and Sales. Which resource is best suited t…
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.