- A
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata=startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why wrong: Flag --machine is invalid; must be --machine-type.
- B
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Correct flags and values.
- C
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-1804-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata=startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why wrong: Wrong image family (Ubuntu 18.04 instead of 20.04).
- D
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why wrong: Uses --image instead of --image-family; --image expects an image name, not family.
Google ACE gcloud compute instances create Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of deploying and implementing a cloud solution. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. A key principle to apply: gcloud compute instances create. 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.
An engineer needs to create a Compute Engine instance with a specific custom subnet, an Ubuntu 20.04 LTS image, and a 50 GB boot disk. The engineer also wants to run a startup script that installs Apache. Which gcloud command should the engineer use to create this instance?
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
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
The correct command is option B. It uses the required flags: --machine-type (not --machine), --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts, --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud, --boot-disk-size=50GB, --subnet=my-subnet, and --metadata with the startup script. Option A is incorrect because it uses --machine (invalid) instead of --machine-type. Option C is incorrect because it uses the wrong image family (ubuntu-1804-lts). Option D is incorrect because it uses --image instead of --image-family, which is not recommended for specifying an image family.
Key principle: gcloud compute instances create
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata=startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why it's wrong here
Flag --machine is invalid; must be --machine-type.
- ✓
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why this is correct
Correct flags and values.
Related concept
gcloud compute instances create
- ✗
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-1804-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata=startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why it's wrong here
Wrong image family (Ubuntu 18.04 instead of 20.04).
- ✗
gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2'
Why it's wrong here
Uses --image instead of --image-family; --image expects an image name, not family.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- gcloud compute instances create
- --machine-type
- --image-family
- --metadata startup-script
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
gcloud compute instances create
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review gcloud compute instances create, then practise related ACE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All ACE questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Associate Cloud Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
ACE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
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?
Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution — This question tests Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution — gcloud compute instances create.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: gcloud compute instances create my-instance --machine-type=e2-medium --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud --boot-disk-size=50GB --subnet=my-subnet --zone=us-central1-a --metadata startup-script='apt-get update && apt-get install -y apache2' — The correct command is option B. It uses the required flags: --machine-type (not --machine), --image-family=ubuntu-2004-lts, --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud, --boot-disk-size=50GB, --subnet=my-subnet, and --metadata with the startup script. Option A is incorrect because it uses --machine (invalid) instead of --machine-type. Option C is incorrect because it uses the wrong image family (ubuntu-1804-lts). Option D is incorrect because it uses --image instead of --image-family, which is not recommended for specifying an image family.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Review gcloud compute instances create, then practise related ACE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
gcloud compute instances create
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: Jul 4, 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.