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Google ACE Practice Question: A team needs to run a containerized HTTP API that…
A team needs to run a containerized HTTP API that scales to zero when idle and requires zero cluster or server management. Which GCP compute platform is the best fit?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between 'scaling to zero' and 'scaling down to a minimum of one' — candidates mistakenly think GKE Autopilot or App Engine Flexible can scale to zero, but only Cloud Run (and Cloud Functions) natively supports true zero-instance scaling without additional configuration.
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
✓
Cloud Run
Cloud Run is the best fit because it is a fully managed serverless platform that automatically scales your containerized HTTP API to zero when idle, meaning you pay only for resources used during request processing. It requires no cluster or server management, as it abstracts away the underlying infrastructure entirely, unlike other options that still involve some level of node or instance management.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Compute Engine with a managed instance group
Why it's wrong here
A managed instance group maintains a minimum instance count, so idle periods still incur VM charges rather than scaling to zero. It suits lift-and-shift workloads needing persistent VMs, not a containerised HTTP API demanding fully managed, request-driven scaling.
- ✗
Google Kubernetes Engine Autopilot
Why it's wrong here
Autopilot removes node management but still bills for a minimum cluster footprint, so idle workloads never scale to zero. It suits teams wanting hardened Kubernetes with pod-level scaling, not request-driven HTTP APIs that must drop to nothing between calls.
- ✓
Cloud Run
Why this is correct
Cloud Run executes containerised workloads on fully managed infrastructure, automatically scaling instances down to zero when no requests arrive. This eliminates cluster and server administration entirely, directly satisfying the stem's scale-to-zero and zero-management constraints for the HTTP API.
- ✗
App Engine Flexible
Why it's wrong here
App Engine Flexible keeps at least one instance running, so it cannot scale to zero when idle. It fits containerised apps needing custom runtimes and SSH access with steady traffic, not the request-driven, zero-cost-when-idle model this API requires.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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Key term
Cloud Run
Cloud Run is a fully managed compute platform from Google Cloud that lets you run containerized applications in a serverless environment, automatically scaling from zero to thousands of requests.
Key term
Serverless
Serverless is a cloud computing model where the cloud provider manages the servers, and you only pay for the actual compute time your code uses, without having to worry about provisioning or maintaining infrastructure.
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JA
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.