Google ACE Setting Up a Cloud Solution Environment Practice Question
You are using Cloud Shell and need to access a file you created two weeks ago. What is the persistence behavior of Cloud Shell home directories?
⚠ Common exam trap
ACE often tests the specific persistence duration and storage limit of Cloud Shell home directories, and candidates may incorrectly assume they are temporary or have a different retention period.
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 Shell home directories persist across sessions, with 5 GB of storage.
Cloud Shell home directories are persistent across sessions and provide 5 GB of storage per user. This means files created in the home directory remain available even after the session ends, as long as the user's Cloud Shell environment is not deleted. The 5 GB limit is a key characteristic of Cloud Shell's persistent storage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cloud Shell home directories are stored in Cloud Storage and are always available.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Shell home directories are not stored in Cloud Storage; they are hosted on a persistent 5 GB disk that is attached to the temporary Cloud Shell VM. While the VM itself is ephemeral, the home directory is a separate persistent disk and is not accessible via Cloud Storage buckets or the Console storage browser.
- ✗
Cloud Shell home directories persist for 30 days after last use.
Why it's wrong here
There is no 30-day expiration policy for Cloud Shell home directories; the persistent disk remains intact indefinitely as long as you do not delete it. Cloud Shell does warn about idle sessions and terminates the VM after about 20 minutes of inactivity, but that does not affect the home directory's contents or its lifespan.
- ✗
Cloud Shell home directories are temporary and are deleted after each session.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Shell home directories are not transient; they are specifically designed to persist between sessions so that files and environment settings survive VM restarts. When you close the session or the VM is reclaimed, the underlying home directory on the persistent disk is preserved and reattached to a new Cloud Shell VM the next time you connect.
- ✓
Cloud Shell home directories persist across sessions, with 5 GB of storage.
Why this is correct
Cloud Shell provides each user with a persistent 5 GB home directory stored on a zonal persistent disk that is independent of the underlying compute instance. Because it is not tied to the VM's lifecycle, files you create remain available across all future Cloud Shell sessions, making it a reliable place to keep small scripts or configuration files.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Cloud Storage Classes and Lifecycle Rules
Key term
Cloud Shell
Cloud Shell is a browser-based command-line interface that gives you temporary access to a cloud provider’s infrastructure, complete with pre-installed tools and a file system, without needing to install anything on your own computer.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Google Cloud exam blueprint
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.