hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
PDE Practice Question: A data engineer configures the above lifecycle…
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```
# Cloud Storage Object Lifecycle Rule (JSON)
{
"lifecycle": {
"rule": [
{
"action": {"type": "SetStorageClass", "storageClass": "NEARLINE"},
"condition": {"age": 30, "matchesStorageClass": ["STANDARD"]}
},
{
"action": {"type": "Delete"},
"condition": {"age": 90}
}
]
}
}
```A data engineer configures the above lifecycle rule on a Cloud Storage bucket that stores daily log files. After 60 days, they notice that files older than 30 days have been transitioned to Nearline, but files older than 90 days are still present. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the interaction between lifecycle rules and storage class transitions, specifically that a `matchesStorageClass` condition filters objects based on their current storage class, not the original class at creation.
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
✓
The delete rule's condition includes `matchesStorageClass`: `STANDARD`, which does not match the Nearline storage class of transitioned objects.
The lifecycle delete rule includes a `matchesStorageClass` condition set to `STANDARD`. Once objects are transitioned to Nearline (which is a different storage class), they no longer match the `STANDARD` condition, so the delete rule does not apply to them. As a result, files older than 90 days that were moved to Nearline remain in the bucket.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The delete rule is missing `isLive: true` condition, so it does not apply to live objects.
Why it's wrong here
By default, lifecycle rules apply to live objects; `isLive` is optional and typically set to false for delete rules on archived versions.
- ✗
The `age` condition in the delete rule is calculated from the transition date, not creation date.
Why it's wrong here
In Cloud Storage, `age` is always from the object's creation time, not from transition.
- ✗
The bucket has object versioning enabled, and the delete rule only applies to non-current versions.
Why it's wrong here
Versioning does not affect how age is computed; the rule applies to all versions if not specified, but this is not indicated.
- ✓
The delete rule's condition includes `matchesStorageClass`: `STANDARD`, which does not match the Nearline storage class of transitioned objects.
Why this is correct
After the first rule transitions objects to Nearline, they no longer match the `STANDARD` storage class required by the delete rule, so they are not deleted.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PDE 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 PDE exam.