- A
Leave the VMs running in case they are needed for future workloads — storage costs are minimal for idle VMs
Why wrong: Idle VMs incur compute (CPU/memory) charges regardless of utilization — this is not just storage. Zero-utilization VMs are waste. If there's a future use case, they can be re-provisioned in minutes when needed.
- B
Investigate whether each VM is still needed; delete confirmed unused VMs to eliminate wasted spend, potentially saving thousands per month
This is the correct operational response. Investigate first (some may have legitimate low-utilization purposes like DR standby), then delete confirmed waste. 15 idle VMs can represent significant ongoing cost that stops immediately upon deletion. Cloud's on-demand model means these can be re-created if needed.
- C
Upgrade the idle VMs to larger machine types so they can handle future workloads if needed
Why wrong: Upgrading unused VMs to larger sizes increases waste, not reduces it. Unused resources should be eliminated, not expanded.
- D
Apply committed use discounts to the idle VMs to reduce their cost while keeping them available
Why wrong: Committing to idle VMs locks in payment for resources that provide no value. The correct action is deletion, not committing to ongoing payment for waste.
Cloud Digital Leader Scaling with Google Cloud operations Practice Question
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of scaling with google cloud operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 cloud team performs a quarterly review of its Compute Engine instances and discovers 15 VMs that have had zero CPU utilization for over 90 days. What is the recommended operational response to these idle resources?
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
Investigate whether each VM is still needed; delete confirmed unused VMs to eliminate wasted spend, potentially saving thousands per month
Option B is correct because the recommended operational response to idle Compute Engine instances is to investigate their necessity and delete them if unused. Idle VMs with zero CPU utilization for over 90 days incur ongoing costs for persistent disks, static IPs, and other attached resources, even if the CPU is idle. Deleting confirmed unused VMs eliminates this wasted spend, potentially saving thousands per month, aligning with Google Cloud's cost optimization best practices.
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.
- ✗
Leave the VMs running in case they are needed for future workloads — storage costs are minimal for idle VMs
Why it's wrong here
Idle VMs incur compute (CPU/memory) charges regardless of utilization — this is not just storage. Zero-utilization VMs are waste. If there's a future use case, they can be re-provisioned in minutes when needed.
- ✓
Investigate whether each VM is still needed; delete confirmed unused VMs to eliminate wasted spend, potentially saving thousands per month
Why this is correct
This is the correct operational response. Investigate first (some may have legitimate low-utilization purposes like DR standby), then delete confirmed waste. 15 idle VMs can represent significant ongoing cost that stops immediately upon deletion. Cloud's on-demand model means these can be re-created if needed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Upgrade the idle VMs to larger machine types so they can handle future workloads if needed
Why it's wrong here
Upgrading unused VMs to larger sizes increases waste, not reduces it. Unused resources should be eliminated, not expanded.
- ✗
Apply committed use discounts to the idle VMs to reduce their cost while keeping them available
Why it's wrong here
Committing to idle VMs locks in payment for resources that provide no value. The correct action is deletion, not committing to ongoing payment for waste.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume idle VMs have negligible cost, overlooking the ongoing charges for persistent disks and static IPs, or mistakenly think committed use discounts are a catch-all cost-saving measure for any VM.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Compute Engine billing is based on vCPU, memory, and attached resources (e.g., persistent disks, GPUs, static IPs) per second with a 1-minute minimum, so even idle VMs incur charges. Persistent disks are billed per GB-month regardless of I/O activity, and static IPs are charged when not attached to a running instance. In real-world scenarios, a team might overlook idle VMs that were created for short-term testing or migration, leading to thousands of dollars in monthly waste; automated tools like Recommender can flag such resources for review.
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: Investigate whether each VM is still needed; delete confirmed unused VMs to eliminate wasted spend, potentially saving thousands per month — Option B is correct because the recommended operational response to idle Compute Engine instances is to investigate their necessity and delete them if unused. Idle VMs with zero CPU utilization for over 90 days incur ongoing costs for persistent disks, static IPs, and other attached resources, even if the CPU is idle. Deleting confirmed unused VMs eliminates this wasted spend, potentially saving thousands per month, aligning with Google Cloud's cost optimization best practices.
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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