- A
Resize the node pool to add more nodes: `gcloud container clusters resize`
`gcloud container clusters resize [CLUSTER] --node-pool=[POOL] --num-nodes=[N]` adds nodes immediately. If cluster autoscaler is enabled, it will do this automatically when Pods are Pending.
- B
Delete existing Pods to free resources for the Pending Pods
Why wrong: Deleting Pods reduces the cluster load but disrupts existing workloads — the question specifically asks for a solution without deleting Pods.
- C
Change the Pending Pods' resource requests to zero
Why wrong: Removing resource requests is a bad practice — it makes scheduling unpredictable and can cause resource contention. It also requires modifying Deployments.
- D
Upgrade the Kubernetes control plane version
Why wrong: Control plane upgrades don't add node capacity and can cause disruption — they don't resolve resource shortfalls.
Quick Answer
The answer is to resize the node pool using `gcloud container clusters resize`, which immediately adds more nodes to the cluster. This is correct because when pods are stuck in a Pending state due to insufficient resources, the fastest solution is to increase the cluster’s compute capacity without disrupting existing workloads. Resizing the node pool directly addresses the root cause—lack of CPU or memory—by provisioning additional nodes that the Kubernetes scheduler can immediately use to place the pending pods. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of operational scaling versus workload modification; a common trap is to consider deleting pods or manually cordoning nodes, which would violate the requirement to preserve running Pods. Remember the key distinction: resizing adds capacity, while other options shift or remove workloads. For a quick memory tip, think “Resize to rise”—when resources are low, scale the pool, not the pods.
Google ACE Practice Question: Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring successful operation of 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 production GKE cluster is running low on node resources. Pods are in Pending state because no node has sufficient CPU or memory. Without deleting existing Pods, what is the fastest way to resolve this?
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
Resize the node pool to add more nodes: `gcloud container clusters resize`
Option A is correct because resizing the node pool with `gcloud container clusters resize` immediately adds more nodes to the cluster, providing additional CPU and memory capacity. This allows the scheduler to place pending Pods without modifying or deleting existing workloads, making it the fastest solution that preserves running Pods.
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.
- ✓
Resize the node pool to add more nodes: `gcloud container clusters resize`
Why this is correct
`gcloud container clusters resize [CLUSTER] --node-pool=[POOL] --num-nodes=[N]` adds nodes immediately. If cluster autoscaler is enabled, it will do this automatically when Pods are Pending.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Delete existing Pods to free resources for the Pending Pods
Why it's wrong here
Deleting Pods reduces the cluster load but disrupts existing workloads — the question specifically asks for a solution without deleting Pods.
- ✗
Change the Pending Pods' resource requests to zero
Why it's wrong here
Removing resource requests is a bad practice — it makes scheduling unpredictable and can cause resource contention. It also requires modifying Deployments.
- ✗
Upgrade the Kubernetes control plane version
Why it's wrong here
Control plane upgrades don't add node capacity and can cause disruption — they don't resolve resource shortfalls.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that upgrading the control plane or modifying Pod specs can resolve resource shortages, when in fact only adding nodes or reducing existing Pod resource usage addresses the capacity issue.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `gcloud container clusters resize` triggers a node pool update that creates new Compute Engine instances and joins them to the cluster as nodes. The kube-scheduler then uses predicates like NodeResourcesFit to match pending Pods to the new nodes. In a real-world scenario, if the cluster uses cluster autoscaler, resizing manually is faster than waiting for autoscaler to react, especially when the pending Pods are not triggering scale-up due to resource request constraints.
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
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution — This question tests Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Resize the node pool to add more nodes: `gcloud container clusters resize` — Option A is correct because resizing the node pool with `gcloud container clusters resize` immediately adds more nodes to the cluster, providing additional CPU and memory capacity. This allows the scheduler to place pending Pods without modifying or deleting existing workloads, making it the fastest solution that preserves running Pods.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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