Google ACE Setting up a cloud solution environment Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of setting up a cloud solution environment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Exhibit
Output of `gcloud compute instances list` in Cloud Shell:
Listed 0 items.
The user expects to see a VM they just created via the Console.
Refer to the exhibit. A user runs `gcloud compute instances list` in Cloud Shell and gets the output 'Listed 0 items.' The user expects to see the VM they just created via the Console. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Cloud Shell is in a different project
The `gcloud compute instances list` command lists VM instances in the currently configured project (set via `gcloud config set project`). If the Cloud Shell is pointing to a different project than the one where the VM was created via the Console, the command will return 'Listed 0 items' even though the VM exists. This is the most likely cause because the user expects to see the VM but the command is scoped to a different project context.
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.
✗
The VM was created in a different region
Why it's wrong here
gcloud list shows all regions by default.
✓
The Cloud Shell is in a different project
Why this is correct
Cloud Shell uses the configured project, which might not be the same as the Console project.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The VM is stopping
Why it's wrong here
Stopping VMs still appear in the list.
✗
The user does not have compute.instances.list permission
Why it's wrong here
Would result in a permission error, not an empty list.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between project-level scope and regional scope, trapping candidates who assume region mismatch is the cause when the real issue is the Cloud Shell being configured to a different project.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
gcloud list shows all regions by default.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `gcloud compute instances list` command queries the Compute Engine API's `instances.aggregatedList` method, which returns instances across all zones in the project. The project context is determined by the `core/project` property in the Cloud Shell's active configuration (set via `gcloud config set project` or the `CLOUDSDK_CORE_PROJECT` environment variable). A common real-world scenario is when a user has multiple projects and forgets to switch the active project in Cloud Shell, leading to confusion when resources appear missing.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this ACE question in full detail.
Setting up a cloud solution environment — This question tests Setting up a cloud solution environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The Cloud Shell is in a different project — The `gcloud compute instances list` command lists VM instances in the currently configured project (set via `gcloud config set project`). If the Cloud Shell is pointing to a different project than the one where the VM was created via the Console, the command will return 'Listed 0 items' even though the VM exists. This is the most likely cause because the user expects to see the VM but the command is scoped to a different project context.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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