- A
Deployment with a shared PersistentVolumeClaim mounted by all pods.
Why wrong: A shared PVC means all pods read/write the same disk — not dedicated per-pod storage. Also, ReadWriteMany access mode is required and not all storage classes support it.
- B
StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates to provision individual PVCs per pod.
StatefulSets with volumeClaimTemplates create a unique PVC for each pod replica. The PVC persists through pod rescheduling, giving each pod its own dedicated, durable persistent disk.
- C
DaemonSet with a hostPath volume on each node.
Why wrong: DaemonSets run one pod per node, not multiple replicas. hostPath volumes are node-local and don't persist if a pod moves to a different node.
- D
Deployment with an emptyDir volume for each pod.
Why wrong: emptyDir volumes are ephemeral — they are deleted when the pod terminates. They don't persist through rescheduling.
Quick Answer
The correct choice is a StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates, because this object automatically provisions a unique PersistentVolumeClaim (PVC) for each pod replica, guaranteeing each pod its own dedicated persistent disk per pod in GKE. When a pod is rescheduled to a different node, the PVC remains bound to its original PersistentVolume (PV), so the new pod mounts the same disk and retains all data—exactly what the scenario requires. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of how StatefulSets differ from Deployments for stateful workloads, and a common trap is choosing a Deployment with a shared PersistentVolume, which would not give each pod its own disk. Remember the key distinction: Deployments are for stateless apps, while StatefulSets with volumeClaimTemplates are for stateful apps needing per-pod storage persistence. A quick memory tip: “StatefulSet = Sticky Storage” — each pod gets its own disk that sticks with it across reschedules.
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.
You are deploying a stateful application to GKE that requires each pod to have its own dedicated persistent disk, and each disk must persist data even if the pod is rescheduled to a different node. Which Kubernetes object type should you use?
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
StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates to provision individual PVCs per pod.
A StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates is the correct choice because it automatically provisions a unique PersistentVolumeClaim (PVC) for each pod replica, ensuring each pod gets its own dedicated persistent disk. When a pod is rescheduled to a different node, the PVC remains bound to its original PersistentVolume (PV), allowing the new pod to mount the same disk and retain the data. This meets the requirement for both per-pod dedicated storage and data persistence across rescheduling events.
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 a shared PersistentVolumeClaim mounted by all pods.
Why it's wrong here
A shared PVC means all pods read/write the same disk — not dedicated per-pod storage. Also, ReadWriteMany access mode is required and not all storage classes support it.
- ✓
StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates to provision individual PVCs per pod.
Why this is correct
StatefulSets with volumeClaimTemplates create a unique PVC for each pod replica. The PVC persists through pod rescheduling, giving each pod its own dedicated, durable persistent disk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
DaemonSet with a hostPath volume on each node.
Why it's wrong here
DaemonSets run one pod per node, not multiple replicas. hostPath volumes are node-local and don't persist if a pod moves to a different node.
- ✗
Deployment with an emptyDir volume for each pod.
Why it's wrong here
emptyDir volumes are ephemeral — they are deleted when the pod terminates. They don't persist through rescheduling.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose a Deployment with a shared PVC (Option A) because they think 'shared storage' is simpler, but they overlook the requirement for each pod to have its own dedicated disk, which a shared volume cannot provide.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, volumeClaimTemplates in a StatefulSet generate a unique PVC name by appending the pod's ordinal index (e.g., `data-myapp-0`), and each PVC binds to a dynamically provisioned PV via a StorageClass. A subtle behavior is that if a StatefulSet pod is deleted and recreated with the same identity, the controller reuses the existing PVC, ensuring data continuity; however, if the pod is scaled down and then scaled up, the new pod with the same ordinal gets the same PVC. In a real-world scenario, this is critical for databases like Cassandra or MySQL where each instance must maintain its own data volume even after node failures or cluster scaling.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
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: StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates to provision individual PVCs per pod. — A StatefulSet with volumeClaimTemplates is the correct choice because it automatically provisions a unique PersistentVolumeClaim (PVC) for each pod replica, ensuring each pod gets its own dedicated persistent disk. When a pod is rescheduled to a different node, the PVC remains bound to its original PersistentVolume (PV), allowing the new pod to mount the same disk and retain the data. This meets the requirement for both per-pod dedicated storage and data persistence across rescheduling events.
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 11, 2026
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