Google PCA Practice Question: Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure
An organization wants to ensure that all VMs in a project have the 'restricted-vm' tag to apply a firewall rule that allows only SSH from a bastion host. The VMs are created by multiple teams. Which approach ensures the tag is automatically applied to all new VMs?
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
✓
Create a Cloud Function that listens to Compute Engine audit logs and adds the tag to new instances
OS Config can enforce OS policies, but tagging is done via instance templates or organization policies. Using a custom image with the tag is not automatic. A pre-create Cloud Function can detect VM creation and add the tag. Org policies cannot enforce tags directly.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a Cloud Function that listens to Compute Engine audit logs and adds the tag to new instances
Why this is correct
This approach can tag instances automatically upon creation by monitoring the compute.instances.insert operation.
- ✗
Use a custom image that includes the tag in the instance metadata
Why it's wrong here
Tags are not part of an image; they are set at instance creation.
- ✗
Use an organization policy to require the tag
Why it's wrong here
Organization policies cannot enforce resource-specific tags.
- ✗
Configure OS Config with a software recipe to add the tag
Why it's wrong here
OS Config manages software and OS policies, not instance metadata tags.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Google Cloud Platform
Key term
Image
An image is a complete snapshot of a system's operating system, applications, and settings, used to deploy or restore computing environments quickly.
Key term
Firewall
A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules to protect trusted internal networks from untrusted external networks.
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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.