The answer is a DaemonSet, because it is the only Kubernetes resource designed to run exactly one Pod on every node in a cluster, including nodes added after the initial deployment. This behavior is essential for node-level workloads like host-level metrics collection, as it guarantees complete coverage across the entire node pool without requiring manual scaling or scheduling logic. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of workload placement versus replication: a common trap is confusing DaemonSet with a Deployment or StatefulSet, but remember that Deployments aim for a desired replica count across the cluster, not per-node coverage. A helpful memory tip is to think of a DaemonSet as a “node-level sentinel” — it ensures one Pod per node, just like a daemon process on every machine. For the exam, if the requirement says “one Pod per node” or “runs on every node,” the answer is always DaemonSet.
Google ACE Deploying and implementing a cloud solution Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of deploying and implementing a cloud solution. 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 platform team needs a Kubernetes workload that runs exactly one Pod on every node in a GKE cluster — including nodes added in the future. The workload collects host-level metrics. Which Kubernetes resource type should they use?
Deployment with replicas set equal to the node count
Why wrong: A Deployment doesn't guarantee one Pod per node — multiple Pods can land on the same node, and new nodes won't automatically get a Pod.
B
StatefulSet with one replica per node
Why wrong: StatefulSets provide stable identities and ordered scaling — they don't place Pods on every node automatically.
C
DaemonSet
DaemonSets guarantee exactly one Pod per matching node, including new nodes added by the cluster autoscaler — purpose-built for node-level workloads like metric collectors.
D
CronJob running every minute to check and restore missing Pods
Why wrong: CronJobs create Jobs on a schedule — they don't provide guaranteed per-node placement and add unnecessary complexity and latency.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DaemonSet
A DaemonSet ensures that exactly one Pod runs on every node in the cluster, including nodes added after creation. This is the correct resource for host-level metrics collection because it automatically scales with the node pool and guarantees one Pod per node without manual intervention.
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.
✗
Deployment with replicas set equal to the node count
Why it's wrong here
A Deployment doesn't guarantee one Pod per node — multiple Pods can land on the same node, and new nodes won't automatically get a Pod.
✗
StatefulSet with one replica per node
Why it's wrong here
StatefulSets provide stable identities and ordered scaling — they don't place Pods on every node automatically.
✓
DaemonSet
Why this is correct
DaemonSets guarantee exactly one Pod per matching node, including new nodes added by the cluster autoscaler — purpose-built for node-level workloads like metric collectors.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
CronJob running every minute to check and restore missing Pods
Why it's wrong here
CronJobs create Jobs on a schedule — they don't provide guaranteed per-node placement and add unnecessary complexity and latency.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that a Deployment with a fixed replica count can achieve per-node coverage, but candidates fail to realize that DaemonSets are the only resource that automatically scales with the node pool and guarantees one Pod per node without manual replica management.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DaemonSets use the Kubernetes scheduler's node affinity and the node controller to automatically place a Pod on each node, respecting taints and tolerations. They are ideal for node-level agents like kube-proxy, CNI plugins, or monitoring daemons (e.g., Prometheus Node Exporter). A subtle behavior is that DaemonSets ignore unschedulable nodes by default unless tolerations are added, which can cause missing Pods on tainted nodes.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this ACE question in full detail.
Deploying and implementing a cloud solution — This question tests Deploying and implementing a cloud solution — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: DaemonSet — A DaemonSet ensures that exactly one Pod runs on every node in the cluster, including nodes added after creation. This is the correct resource for host-level metrics collection because it automatically scales with the node pool and guarantees one Pod per node without manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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