Google PCA Ensure solution and operations reliability Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of ensure solution and operations reliability. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Exhibit
Error message from Cloud Functions log:
"Function: process-image. Execution ID: abc123. Error: memory limit exceeded. Function invocation was interrupted. Consider increasing the memory allocation."
Function configuration:
- Runtime: Node.js 16
- Memory: 128MB
- Timeout: 60s
- Trigger: Cloud Storage (finalize event on bucket images-bucket)
Metrics:
- Average execution time: 45s
- Max concurrent executions: 10
Refer to the exhibit. The process-image function fails intermittently with a memory limit exceeded error. Which action will MOST effectively resolve the issue?
Exhibit
Error message from Cloud Functions log:
"Function: process-image. Execution ID: abc123. Error: memory limit exceeded. Function invocation was interrupted. Consider increasing the memory allocation."
Function configuration:
- Runtime: Node.js 16
- Memory: 128MB
- Timeout: 60s
- Trigger: Cloud Storage (finalize event on bucket images-bucket)
Metrics:
- Average execution time: 45s
- Max concurrent executions: 10
A
Increase the function memory to 256MB.
More memory directly addresses the 'memory limit exceeded' error.
B
Increase the function timeout to 120 seconds.
Why wrong: Timeout is not the issue; the function is failing due to memory, not time.
C
Reduce the maximum concurrent executions to 5.
Why wrong: Concurrency may not cause this error; memory per instance is the issue.
D
Change the trigger to Cloud Pub/Sub to reduce load.
Why wrong: Changing the trigger does not fix the memory problem.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the function memory to 256MB.
The error 'memory limit exceeded' indicates the function is running out of allocated memory. Increasing the function memory to 256MB directly addresses this by providing more memory for execution. In Google Cloud Functions, memory is also tied to CPU allocation, so increasing memory can improve performance and prevent out-of-memory errors.
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.
✓
Increase the function memory to 256MB.
Why this is correct
More memory directly addresses the 'memory limit exceeded' error.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the function timeout to 120 seconds.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout is not the issue; the function is failing due to memory, not time.
✗
Reduce the maximum concurrent executions to 5.
Why it's wrong here
Concurrency may not cause this error; memory per instance is the issue.
✗
Change the trigger to Cloud Pub/Sub to reduce load.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the trigger does not fix the memory problem.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common misconception tested in Google Cloud exams is that timeout adjustments fix memory errors, but memory and timeout are independent resource limits; the trap is confusing a duration-based error with a resource-based error.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Google Cloud Functions allocates CPU proportionally to memory: 1 vCPU per 2GB of memory, with a minimum of 0.083 vCPU at 128MB. Increasing memory from the default 128MB to 256MB doubles both memory and CPU, which can resolve memory exhaustion and also improve execution speed for memory-intensive operations. The memory limit is a hard cap; exceeding it causes the function to terminate with an 'ENOMEM' error.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
Model
You Manage
Provider Manages
Examples
IaaS
OS, runtime, apps, data
Hardware, hypervisor, networking
EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine
PaaS
Apps and data
OS, runtime, middleware, hardware
Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service
SaaS
Data and settings only
Everything else
Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday
FaaS / Serverless
Function code only
Infra, scaling, runtime
Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run
CaaS
Containers and apps
Kubernetes, OS, hardware
EKS, AKS, GKE
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PCA question in full detail.
Ensure solution and operations reliability — This question tests Ensure solution and operations reliability — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the function memory to 256MB. — The error 'memory limit exceeded' indicates the function is running out of allocated memory. Increasing the function memory to 256MB directly addresses this by providing more memory for execution. In Google Cloud Functions, memory is also tied to CPU allocation, so increasing memory can improve performance and prevent out-of-memory errors.
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.
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Question Discussion
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