easyMultiple Choice
Google PCA Practice Question: Migrate its on-premises monolithic application to…
A company wants to migrate its on-premises monolithic application to Google Cloud with minimal changes. They plan to run it on a virtual machine with a predictable workload that runs 24/7 for a one-year commitment. Which compute option is MOST cost-effective?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is assuming that Spot or Preemptible VMs are always the cheapest and therefore best, but they are unsuitable for workloads that cannot tolerate interruptions; the question specifies a predictable 24/7 workload, which points to CUDs.
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
✓
Committed use discounts
Committed use discounts (CUDs) provide significant discounts (up to 57% for most services) in exchange for committing to a specific amount of resources for a 1- or 3-year term. For a predictable, 24/7 workload running for one year, CUDs are the most cost-effective option because they offer a lower price than on-demand and do not carry the risk of interruption like Spot or Preemptible VMs. Spot VMs are cheaper but can be preempted, making them unsuitable for a steady, always-on application.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Spot VMs
Why it's wrong here
Spot VMs can be preempted at any time with 30 seconds' notice, which a 24/7 monolithic service cannot tolerate. It is tempting because Spot VMs offer the deepest discounts, which looks ideal for a cost-focused migration until availability requirements rule them out.
- ✗
On-demand VMs
Why it's wrong here
On-demand pricing bills the full per-second rate with no commitment discount, so a predictable 24/7 workload pays a premium. It is tempting because on-demand suits short-lived, unpredictable or spiky workloads where committing to a term would waste money.
- ✓
Committed use discounts
Why this is correct
Committed use discounts apply to Compute Engine vCPU and memory for a one- or three-year term, cutting cost substantially versus on-demand for steady 24/7 workloads. This matches the stem's predictable, year-long commitment with minimal application change.
- ✗
Preemptible VMs
Why it's wrong here
Preemptible VMs are reclaimed within 24 hours, so they cannot host a 24/7 workload. They suit fault-tolerant batch jobs, not a continuously running monolith. A committed use discount on a standard VM delivers the required availability at lower cost.
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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 PCA 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 PCA exam.