Cloud Digital Leader How Google Cloud Resources Are Managed Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Sole-tenant node discount

  Why it's wrong here

  Sole-tenant nodes are dedicated physical servers that provide hardware isolation and allow you to use your own licenses (e.g., Windows Server). They are priced per node at an hourly rate and do not offer any specific discount for long-running workloads. For predictable, always-on compute, a committed use discount would be far more effective for cost reduction than simply using a sole-tenant node.

• ✗

  Preemptible VM discount

  Why it's wrong here

  Preemptible VMs are short-lived, interruptible instances offered at a substantial discount (up to 60-80% cheaper than standard VMs), but Compute Engine can terminate them at any time within 24 hours. They are designed for batch jobs, fault-tolerant workloads, and ephemeral tasks, not for long-running, stateful services that require uptime and reliability. Relying on preemptible VMs would risk outages and is therefore not a suitable cost-reduction strategy for continuous long-running compute.

• ✗

  Sustained use discount

  Why it's wrong here

  Sustained use discounts are applied automatically when a workload runs for more than 25% of a month, providing a gradually increasing discount of up to 30% with no commitment required. Although this reduces costs for long-running workloads, the discount is lower than what a committed use discount offers and requires no upfront commitment. Since the question asks for the best way to reduce costs for long-running compute, sustained use discounts—while automatic—are not the most cost-effective option compared to committed use discounts.

• ✓

  Committed use discount

  Why this is correct

  Committed use discounts (CUDs) are ideal for predictable, long-running compute because you commit to either a 1-year or 3-year usage term in exchange for a significantly discounted price, typically up to 70% off for vCPUs and memory. This discount is resource-based, applying to specific amounts of vCPU and memory per region, and can yield substantial savings for always-on applications. For a company running long-running compute, selecting a committed use discount—especially a 3-year term—maximizes cost reduction and provides predictable pricing.

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