Question 627 of 1,000

PCDE Practice Question: Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps

This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of bootstrapping a google cloud organisation for devops. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.

An organization uses Terraform with a GCS backend for state. They want to implement a GitOps workflow where changes merged to the main branch are automatically applied. The CI/CD pipeline uses a service account with Workload Identity Federation. Which THREE components are required? (Choose three.)

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

A service account with permissions to modify resources in the target projects.

GitOps requires a Git repository as the source of truth, a CI/CD pipeline that triggers on changes to main, and a service account with appropriate permissions to apply changes. Terraform Cloud is not required; the pipeline can run Terraform directly.

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.

  • A Cloud Storage bucket with object versioning enabled for Terraform state.

    Why it's wrong here

    While the bucket is needed for state, it is already part of the backend configuration and not a component of the GitOps workflow itself.

  • A Terraform Cloud workspace configured with the same GCS backend.

    Why it's wrong here

    Terraform Cloud is optional; the pipeline can run Terraform directly.

  • A service account with permissions to modify resources in the target projects.

    Why this is correct

    The pipeline needs a service account with IAM roles to create/update resources.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • A Git repository containing Terraform configurations.

    Why this is correct

    The Git repo is the source of truth for desired state.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • A CI/CD system (e.g., Cloud Build) that runs Terraform plan and apply on merge to main.

    Why this is correct

    The pipeline automatically applies changes when merged.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
  • Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

  • Underline the problem statement mentally.
  • 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 PCDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PCDE question test?

Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps — This question tests Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: A service account with permissions to modify resources in the target projects. — GitOps requires a Git repository as the source of truth, a CI/CD pipeline that triggers on changes to main, and a service account with appropriate permissions to apply changes. Terraform Cloud is not required; the pipeline can run Terraform directly.

What should I do if I get this PCDE question wrong?

Identify which PCDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

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This PCDE 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 PCDE exam.