- A
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) managed through version control, providing repeatable and auditable infrastructure changes
This exactly describes IaC + GitOps. Terraform configurations in Git provide repeatability (same config → same infrastructure) and auditability (Git history shows every change, who made it, and when). This is a foundational cloud operations best practice.
- B
Manual change management, where each infrastructure change is recorded in a spreadsheet for audit purposes
Why wrong: Manual spreadsheet tracking is error-prone, not reproducible, and doesn't provide the automated change tracking that version-controlled code provides. This is the practice being replaced by IaC.
- C
Disaster recovery planning, using configuration files to document what needs to be rebuilt after a failure
Why wrong: While IaC does help with recovery (infrastructure can be re-deployed from code), the practice described is more fundamentally about routine operational auditability and repeatability, not specifically disaster recovery.
- D
Cost optimization, by defining infrastructure in code to enable automatic right-sizing of resources
Why wrong: IaC enables cost controls but its primary purpose is repeatability and auditability, not automatic right-sizing. Cost optimization is a separate concern.
What is Infrastructure as Code and Why Does It Matter?
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of scaling with google cloud operations. 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's cloud team is asked to demonstrate that their infrastructure changes are repeatable and auditable. They use Terraform configuration files committed to a Git repository to define all cloud resources. Which operational practice does this exemplify?
Quick Answer
The answer is Infrastructure as Code (IaC) managed through version control, because storing Terraform configuration files in a Git repository treats infrastructure definitions as code, enabling repeatable deployments and a complete audit trail. This practice ensures that every change is repeatable, as the exact same configuration can be applied consistently across environments, and auditable, since Git history records who changed what and when. On the Google Cloud Digital Leader exam, this concept tests your understanding of operational best practices, often appearing in scenarios about compliance or change management; a common trap is confusing IaC with simple automation scripts that lack version control. Remember the memory tip: “Code in Git, changes are legit”—if the infrastructure is defined as code and tracked in version control, you have both repeatability and auditability covered.
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
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) managed through version control, providing repeatable and auditable infrastructure changes
By storing Terraform configuration files in a Git repository, the team treats infrastructure definitions as code, enabling version control, peer review, and a complete audit trail of changes. This is the core principle of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), which ensures that every infrastructure change is repeatable because the exact same configuration can be applied multiple times, and auditable because Git history records who changed what and when.
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.
- ✓
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) managed through version control, providing repeatable and auditable infrastructure changes
Why this is correct
This exactly describes IaC + GitOps. Terraform configurations in Git provide repeatability (same config → same infrastructure) and auditability (Git history shows every change, who made it, and when). This is a foundational cloud operations best practice.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Manual change management, where each infrastructure change is recorded in a spreadsheet for audit purposes
Why it's wrong here
Manual spreadsheet tracking is error-prone, not reproducible, and doesn't provide the automated change tracking that version-controlled code provides. This is the practice being replaced by IaC.
- ✗
Disaster recovery planning, using configuration files to document what needs to be rebuilt after a failure
Why it's wrong here
While IaC does help with recovery (infrastructure can be re-deployed from code), the practice described is more fundamentally about routine operational auditability and repeatability, not specifically disaster recovery.
- ✗
Cost optimization, by defining infrastructure in code to enable automatic right-sizing of resources
Why it's wrong here
IaC enables cost controls but its primary purpose is repeatability and auditability, not automatic right-sizing. Cost optimization is a separate concern.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the operational practice of IaC with its secondary benefits (like disaster recovery or cost optimization), but the question explicitly asks about repeatability and auditability, which are direct outcomes of version-controlled IaC.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Terraform uses a declarative language (HCL) to define cloud resources, and when combined with Git, every change goes through a pull request workflow, allowing for automated testing (e.g., `terraform plan`) before merging. Under the hood, Terraform maintains a state file that maps real-world resources to configuration, and version control ensures that state changes are traceable; in a real-world scenario, a team can roll back to a previous commit and run `terraform apply` to restore infrastructure to a known state, which is impossible with manual spreadsheets.
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
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this GCDL question test?
Scaling with Google Cloud operations — This question tests Scaling with Google Cloud operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) managed through version control, providing repeatable and auditable infrastructure changes — By storing Terraform configuration files in a Git repository, the team treats infrastructure definitions as code, enabling version control, peer review, and a complete audit trail of changes. This is the core principle of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), which ensures that every infrastructure change is repeatable because the exact same configuration can be applied multiple times, and auditable because Git history records who changed what and when.
What should I do if I get this GCDL question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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