PCDOE Optimizing performance and cost Practice Question
A company is using Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) with multiple node pools. They notice that their monthly costs are higher than expected. Upon review, they find that several preemptible VMs are being recreated frequently, leading to sustained usage costs. What is the most cost-effective solution to reduce costs?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that preemptible VMs are the cheapest option, but the trap here is that Spot VMs are actually cheaper and have no maximum runtime, making them superior for cost reduction.
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
✓
Migrate to Spot VMs, which have a lower price and no maximum runtime.
Spot VMs are the recommended replacement for preemptible VMs, offering the same low price but without the 24-hour maximum runtime limit. This eliminates the frequent recreation and sustained usage costs caused by preemptible VMs being terminated and restarted, directly reducing monthly expenses.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Purchase committed use discounts for the preemptible VMs.
Why it's wrong here
Committed use discounts are not available for preemptible VMs.
- ✗
Increase the number of preemptible VMs to spread the workload.
Why it's wrong here
Adding more preemptible VMs would increase costs, not reduce them.
- ✗
Enable sustained use discounts for the existing VMs.
Why it's wrong here
Sustained use discounts are automatically applied and don't require enabling.
- ✓
Migrate to Spot VMs, which have a lower price and no maximum runtime.
Why this is correct
Spot VMs are the recommended replacement for preemptible VMs and offer lower costs without the 24-hour limit.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCDOE 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 PCDOE exam.