- A
Switch to preemptible VMs
Why wrong: Preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, making them unsuitable for batch jobs that require completion.
- B
Use sole-tenant nodes to share resources across projects
Why wrong: Sole-tenant nodes are for compliance or licensing, not cost reduction; they often cost more.
- C
Migrate to custom machine types to eliminate wasted resources
Why wrong: Custom machine types optimize sizing but do not provide the cost savings of committed use discounts.
- D
Purchase committed use discounts for the relevant machine types and regions
CUDs offer up to 57% discount for stable workloads with a commitment, directly reducing costs.
Question 382 of 1,000
mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
Committed Use Discounts for Cost Reduction
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of pcse exam topics. 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.
A company runs a batch processing workload on Compute Engine VMs for 6 months. They want to reduce costs without sacrificing performance. Which option should they implement?
Quick Answer
The answer is to purchase committed use discounts for the relevant machine types and regions. This is correct because committed use discounts, or CUDs, offer substantial cost reduction for predictable, steady-state workloads by locking in a 1- or 3-year commitment in exchange for lower per-hour rates, making them ideal for a six-month batch processing job that runs continuously. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this question tests your ability to differentiate cost optimization strategies without sacrificing performance, often appearing as a trap where candidates confuse CUDs with preemptible VMs or custom machine types. A common mistake is choosing preemptible VMs for long-running batch workloads, but remember that preemptible instances can be terminated at any time, making them unreliable for sustained processing. Memory tip: think of CUDs as a “commitment contract” for steady savings, while preemptible VMs are “discounts with a catch.”
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
✓
Purchase committed use discounts for the relevant machine types and regions
Option D is correct because committed use discounts (CUDs) provide significant discounts in exchange for a 1- or 3-year commitment, ideal for steady-state workloads like a 6-month batch processing job. Option A is wrong because preemptible VMs are not suitable for long-running batch jobs due to termination risk. Option B is wrong because sole-tenant nodes isolate VMs but do not reduce costs. Option C is wrong because custom machine types may optimize resource use but do not offer discounts like CUDs.
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.
- ✗
Switch to preemptible VMs
Why it's wrong here
Preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, making them unsuitable for batch jobs that require completion.
- ✗
Use sole-tenant nodes to share resources across projects
Why it's wrong here
Sole-tenant nodes are for compliance or licensing, not cost reduction; they often cost more.
- ✗
Migrate to custom machine types to eliminate wasted resources
Why it's wrong here
Custom machine types optimize sizing but do not provide the cost savings of committed use discounts.
- ✓
Purchase committed use discounts for the relevant machine types and regions
Why this is correct
CUDs offer up to 57% discount for stable workloads with a commitment, directly reducing costs.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCSE 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 PCSE question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Purchase committed use discounts for the relevant machine types and regions — Option D is correct because committed use discounts (CUDs) provide significant discounts in exchange for a 1- or 3-year commitment, ideal for steady-state workloads like a 6-month batch processing job. Option A is wrong because preemptible VMs are not suitable for long-running batch jobs due to termination risk. Option B is wrong because sole-tenant nodes isolate VMs but do not reduce costs. Option C is wrong because custom machine types may optimize resource use but do not offer discounts like CUDs.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Identify which PCSE 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: Jun 24, 2026
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.
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