Google PCA Practice Question: Analyze and optimize technical and business processes
A company commits to using Compute Engine for 3 years and wants the maximum discount. Which purchasing option should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that sustained use discounts provide the best long-term savings, but they are automatic and capped at 30%, whereas committed use discounts require a contractual commitment but offer significantly higher discounts for longer terms.
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
✓
3-year committed use discount.
A 3-year committed use discount (CUD) offers the highest discount rate (up to 57% for most machine types) compared to 1-year CUDs (up to 37%) or pay-as-you-go pricing. By committing to a consistent resource usage for the full 3-year term, the company maximizes the discount on Compute Engine costs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
3-year committed use discount.
Why this is correct
A 3-year committed use discount applies to Compute Engine vCPU and memory spend, delivering the deepest discount (up to 57%) for a fixed three-year term. It directly satisfies the stem's maximum-discount constraint, unlike sustained use discounts, which accrue automatically but cap at 30% and require no commitment.
- ✗
Pay-as-you-go pricing.
Why it's wrong here
Pay-as-you-go bills per second with no commitment and no discount, so it cannot provide the maximum discount for a committed 3-year term. It is tempting because it needs no upfront commitment, and would be correct for unpredictable or short-lived workloads that may be stopped at any time.
- ✗
Sustained use discounts.
Why it's wrong here
Sustained use discounts apply automatically to qualifying monthly usage without any commitment, so they cannot deliver the deeper committed-use rate for a guaranteed 3-year term. They are tempting because they require no contract, and would suit steady workloads where the company refuses to commit.
- ✗
1-year committed use discount.
Why it's wrong here
A 1-year commitment yields a smaller discount than the 3-year term the company has already committed to, so it fails the maximum-discount requirement. It is tempting because it offers a discount with shorter lock-in, and would be correct where flexibility matters more than the deepest saving.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Virtual Machine Instances in Compute Engine
Key term
Compute Engine
Compute Engine is Google Cloud's Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offering that lets you create and run virtual machines on Google's infrastructure.
Key term
Committed use discount
A pricing model where you agree to use a minimum amount of cloud resources for a set term in exchange for lower rates.
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