- A
The snapshot cannot be used to create a VM in a different region; the user must first create a disk in the same region and then replicate it.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Snapshots are global resources and can be used to create disks in any region.
- B
The snapshot must be created with '--storage-location=europe-west1' to be usable in that region.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Snapshots are global resources; they can be used to create disks in any region. The storage location only affects where the snapshot data is stored, not its availability for disk creation.
- C
The user must wait for the snapshot operation to complete before using it to create a VM.
Correct: The '--async' flag returns immediately without waiting for the operation to complete. The snapshot must be in a 'READY' state before it can be used.
- D
The user must specify the '--region' flag when creating the snapshot to make it available in europe-west1.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Snapshots are global, not regional. There is no '--region' flag for snapshots.
Google PCA Design and plan a cloud solution architecture Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of design and plan a cloud solution architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Refer to the exhibit. A user creates a snapshot of a persistent disk. Later, they want to create a new VM from this snapshot in the same project but in a different region (europe-west1). Which step is missing or incorrect?
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
The user must wait for the snapshot operation to complete before using it to create a VM.
Option C is correct because a snapshot operation is asynchronous; the snapshot must reach the 'READY' state before it can be used to create a VM. Attempting to create a VM from a snapshot that is still being created will fail, as the snapshot data is not yet fully available.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The snapshot cannot be used to create a VM in a different region; the user must first create a disk in the same region and then replicate it.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Snapshots are global resources and can be used to create disks in any region.
- ✗
The snapshot must be created with '--storage-location=europe-west1' to be usable in that region.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Snapshots are global resources; they can be used to create disks in any region. The storage location only affects where the snapshot data is stored, not its availability for disk creation.
- ✓
The user must wait for the snapshot operation to complete before using it to create a VM.
Why this is correct
Correct: The '--async' flag returns immediately without waiting for the operation to complete. The snapshot must be in a 'READY' state before it can be used.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The user must specify the '--region' flag when creating the snapshot to make it available in europe-west1.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Snapshots are global, not regional. There is no '--region' flag for snapshots.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the asynchronous nature of snapshot creation, trapping candidates who assume the snapshot is immediately available after the create command returns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When a snapshot is created, the operation returns immediately, but the snapshot is not usable until it reaches the 'READY' state. The snapshot's storage location (set via '--storage-location') can be used to enforce data residency, but it does not restrict where the snapshot can be used to create disks or VMs. This asynchronous behavior is critical in automation pipelines where a script might attempt to use a snapshot before it is fully created.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Design and plan a cloud solution architecture — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Design and plan a cloud solution architecture practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCA questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Cloud Architect study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCA practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCA practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Managing Implementation and Ensuring Solution and Operations Reliability practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Managing Implementation and Ensuring Solution and Operations Reliability.
Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture.
Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure.
Designing for Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Designing for Security and Compliance.
Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes.
Design and plan a cloud solution architecture practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Design and plan a cloud solution architecture.
Manage and provision cloud infrastructure practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Manage and provision cloud infrastructure.
Design for security and compliance practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Design for security and compliance.
Analyze and optimize technical and business processes practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Analyze and optimize technical and business processes.
Manage implementation of cloud architecture practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Manage implementation of cloud architecture.
Ensure solution and operations reliability practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Ensure solution and operations reliability.
PCA fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to PCA fundamentals.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCA practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Design and plan a cloud solution architecture — This question tests Design and plan a cloud solution architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The user must wait for the snapshot operation to complete before using it to create a VM. — Option C is correct because a snapshot operation is asynchronous; the snapshot must reach the 'READY' state before it can be used to create a VM. Attempting to create a VM from a snapshot that is still being created will fail, as the snapshot data is not yet fully available.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More PCA practice questions
- A company has a requirement to store application logs for 7 years for compliance. They are using Cloud Logging. What is…
- A company is migrating a legacy monolithic application to Google Cloud. The application runs on a single VM and uses a l…
- A financial services company is designing a multi-tier application on Google Cloud. The application must meet PCI DSS co…
- A company is migrating its on-premises workloads to Google Cloud. They have strict compliance requirements that all data…
- A company wants to optimize their cloud spending on Google Cloud. They have a mix of workloads including batch processin…
- An organization wants to enforce that all Compute Engine VMs are created with specific disk encryption keys. Which polic…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.