PCSE Practice Question: Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment
A company wants to use Google Cloud resources but does not have a Google Workspace or Cloud Identity account. They want to manage identities for their users without paying for additional licenses. What is the most cost-effective identity solution?
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
✓
Use Cloud Identity Free edition.
Cloud Identity Free edition provides identity management for users who only need to access Google Cloud resources (Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, etc.) without Gmail, Google Drive, or other Google Workspace services. It is free. Cloud Identity Premium includes additional features like device management and security policies but costs money. Google Workspace is a paid suite of productivity apps. The Compute Engine default service account is not for user identities.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use the Compute Engine default service account for all users.
Why it's wrong here
Service accounts are for non-human identities (applications, VMs), not for human users.
- ✗
Use Cloud Identity Premium edition.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Identity Premium is a paid tier that includes additional features not required for basic access to Google Cloud.
- ✓
Use Cloud Identity Free edition.
Why this is correct
Cloud Identity Free provides basic user identity management for accessing Google Cloud resources at no cost.
- ✗
Use Google Workspace.
Why it's wrong here
Google Workspace is a paid productivity suite that includes identity management, but it is more expensive than Cloud Identity Free.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.