Google PCA Practice Question: Analyze and optimize technical and business processes
A startup deploys a web application on Compute Engine instances behind an HTTP load balancer. They need to handle unpredictable spikes in traffic with minimal operational overhead. What is the simplest scaling approach?
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
✓
Use a managed instance group with autoscaling based on CPU utilization
Using a managed instance group with autoscaling automatically adds/removes instances based on demand, requiring minimal manual intervention. Other options either require more complex setup or are not optimal.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set up a Kubernetes cluster with horizontal pod autoscaling
Why it's wrong here
Kubernetes with horizontal pod autoscaling adds significant cluster management overhead, contradicting the minimal-overhead requirement. It is tempting for containerised workloads needing fine-grained scaling, but a managed instance group with autoscaling handles unpredictable HTTP traffic directly.
- ✓
Use a managed instance group with autoscaling based on CPU utilization
Why this is correct
A managed instance group with CPU-based autoscaling adds or removes Compute Engine instances automatically as demand shifts, absorbing unpredictable spikes without manual intervention. This satisfies the minimal operational overhead constraint while the HTTP load balancer distributes traffic across the group.
- ✗
Migrate the application to Cloud Run
Why it's wrong here
Migrating to Cloud Run requires re-architecting the application into containers and rewriting its deployment model, which is not the simplest change to an existing Compute Engine workload. Cloud Run suits new containerised services needing automatic scale-to-zero, not lifting a VM-based application.
- ✗
Add more instances manually during peak hours
Why it's wrong here
Manual instance addition cannot react to unpredictable spikes; an administrator must watch traffic and intervene, which is exactly the operational overhead the scenario excludes. Manual scaling fits predictable, scheduled peaks where capacity is known in advance and automation is unnecessary.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
Key term
Load balancer
A load balancer is a device or software that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers so no single server gets overwhelmed.
Key term
HTTP
HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the set of rules web browsers and servers use to communicate and transfer web pages over the internet.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.