- A
Cloud Trace SDK for the Python application
Why wrong: The Cloud Trace SDK instruments applications for distributed tracing — it doesn't forward application logs to Cloud Logging.
- B
Ops Agent (Google Cloud's combined logging and monitoring agent)
The Ops Agent collects logs from system files and application log streams and forwards them to Cloud Logging. It must be installed explicitly on Compute Engine VMs.
- C
Cloud Monitoring agent only
Why wrong: The legacy Cloud Monitoring agent collects metrics only. For logs, the Cloud Logging agent (or the modern Ops Agent which handles both) is required.
- D
No installation needed — GCE VMs automatically stream logs to Cloud Logging
Why wrong: Compute Engine VMs do not automatically forward application logs. The Ops Agent must be installed and configured.
Quick Answer
The answer is the Ops Agent, Google Cloud’s unified agent for both logging and monitoring. This is correct because while a Compute Engine VM automatically sends basic platform logs like serial console output, custom application logs—such as those from a Python app—require a dedicated agent to collect, parse, and forward them to the Cloud Logging API. The Ops Agent combines the legacy logging and monitoring agents into a single, efficient service, making it the required component to stream application logs from Compute Engine to Cloud Logging. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this tests your understanding of agent-based log collection versus default VM logs; a common trap is assuming the older logging agent alone suffices, but the Ops Agent is now the recommended and tested solution. For a memory tip, think “Ops Agent = One agent to log and monitor them all,” remembering that application-level logs need this unified tool, not just the VM’s built-in capabilities.
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. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 team wants logs from their Python application running on a Compute Engine VM to appear in Cloud Logging. What must be installed on the VM?
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
Ops Agent (Google Cloud's combined logging and monitoring agent)
The Ops Agent is Google Cloud's unified agent for both logging and monitoring, and it is required to stream custom application logs from a Compute Engine VM to Cloud Logging. While the VM itself sends basic platform logs (e.g., serial console output), application-level logs (e.g., from a Python app) require the Ops Agent to collect, parse, and forward them to the Cloud Logging API.
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.
- ✗
Cloud Trace SDK for the Python application
Why it's wrong here
The Cloud Trace SDK instruments applications for distributed tracing — it doesn't forward application logs to Cloud Logging.
- ✓
Ops Agent (Google Cloud's combined logging and monitoring agent)
Why this is correct
The Ops Agent collects logs from system files and application log streams and forwards them to Cloud Logging. It must be installed explicitly on Compute Engine VMs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Cloud Monitoring agent only
Why it's wrong here
The legacy Cloud Monitoring agent collects metrics only. For logs, the Cloud Logging agent (or the modern Ops Agent which handles both) is required.
- ✗
No installation needed — GCE VMs automatically stream logs to Cloud Logging
Why it's wrong here
Compute Engine VMs do not automatically forward application logs. The Ops Agent must be installed and configured.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume GCE VMs automatically send all logs (including application logs) to Cloud Logging, but in reality only platform-level logs are auto-streamed, and application logs require the Ops Agent.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Ops Agent uses a fluent-bit-based pipeline for logs and an OpenTelemetry Collector-based pipeline for metrics, allowing it to parse application logs (e.g., Python stdout/stderr or log files) and send them to Cloud Logging via the structured logging format. A common subtlety is that the Ops Agent must be configured with the correct log receivers and parsers (e.g., for JSON or regex) to properly ingest Python application logs; otherwise, logs may appear as unstructured text or be missed entirely.
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.
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.
- →
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All ACE questions
500 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Associate Cloud Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
ACE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related ACE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Setting up a cloud solution environment practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Setting up a cloud solution environment.
Planning and configuring a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Planning and configuring a cloud solution.
Deploying and implementing a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Deploying and implementing a cloud solution.
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution.
Configuring access and security practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Configuring access and security.
ACE fundamentals practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE fundamentals.
ACE scenario practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE scenario.
ACE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free ACE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Ops Agent (Google Cloud's combined logging and monitoring agent) — The Ops Agent is Google Cloud's unified agent for both logging and monitoring, and it is required to stream custom application logs from a Compute Engine VM to Cloud Logging. While the VM itself sends basic platform logs (e.g., serial console output), application-level logs (e.g., from a Python app) require the Ops Agent to collect, parse, and forward them to the Cloud Logging API.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More ACE practice questions
- A team's Cloud Build pipeline must: (1) run unit tests, (2) build a Docker image only if tests pass, (3) push the image…
- A team needs a database backup job to run every day at 2 AM UTC. The job calls an HTTP endpoint to trigger the backup. T…
- A team wants to receive an email alert when the average CPU utilization of VMs in a managed instance group exceeds 80% f…
- A Go service is consuming significantly more CPU than expected. The team suspects an inefficient function but doesn't kn…
- A network team is creating a new VPC and must decide between auto mode and custom mode. Why would they choose custom mod…
- A company organizes its GCP projects by business unit — Finance, Engineering, and Sales. Which resource is best suited t…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This ACE 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 ACE exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.