Google PCA Manage and provision cloud infrastructure Practice Question
A startup is deploying a new web application on Compute Engine. The architect needs to ensure that the application can automatically recover from a zone failure and that the instances are distributed across multiple zones within a region. The application must also scale automatically based on traffic. Which Compute Engine feature should the architect use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse a managed instance group with an unmanaged one; only managed instance groups support autoscaling and autohealing.
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
✓
Managed instance group with regional distribution and autoscaling.
A regional managed instance group spreads instances across multiple zones, ensuring that the application survives a zone failure. It also supports autoscaling based on traffic, allowing the application to handle varying loads. The other options either lack zone distribution, automatic scaling, or reliability, making them unsuitable for the startup's requirements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Sole-tenant nodes with autoscaling.
Why it's wrong here
Sole-tenant nodes provide physical isolation for compliance but do not inherently distribute instances across zones or provide automatic recovery from zone failures. Autoscaling can be configured, but the primary benefit is isolation, not resilience. This option does not address the need for multi-zone distribution and automatic recovery from zone failures.
- ✗
Preemptible VMs with a managed instance group.
Why it's wrong here
Preemptible VMs are short-lived and can be terminated at any time, making them unsuitable for a web application that requires high availability and automatic recovery. While a managed instance group can replace preempted instances, the frequent interruptions would disrupt service. This option does not provide the reliability needed for a production web application.
- ✗
Unmanaged instance group with instances in a single zone.
Why it's wrong here
An unmanaged instance group does not provide automatic scaling or autohealing; it is simply a collection of instances that you manage individually. Placing instances in a single zone means a zone failure would take down the entire application. This option fails to meet the requirements for zone resilience and automatic scaling.
- ✓
Managed instance group with regional distribution and autoscaling.
Why this is correct
A regional managed instance group distributes instances across multiple zones within a region, providing resilience to zone failures. It supports autoscaling based on metrics like CPU utilization or load balancing capacity. This directly meets the requirements for automatic recovery from zone failure and automatic scaling based on traffic, making it the appropriate choice for the web application.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Google Cloud Compute Options Overview
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
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.
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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.