- A
Store session state in Cloud SQL and share across instances
Why wrong: This would solve the problem but requires application changes; the question asks for the most suitable solution, and session affinity is simpler if no application changes are desired.
- B
Configure Cloud CDN to cache session data
Why wrong: Cloud CDN caches static content, not dynamic session data.
- C
Use a global load balancer with HTTP cookies to track sessions
Why wrong: HTTP cookies alone do not ensure session affinity; the load balancer must be configured to use the cookie for routing.
- D
Enable session affinity (sticky sessions) on the load balancer
Session affinity ensures that requests from the same user are sent to the same backend instance, preserving local session state.
Question 893 of 1,000
Cloud Digital Leader Google Cloud Products and Services Practice Question
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of google cloud products and services. 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 company is running a stateful web application on Compute Engine with a SQL database. They want to use Cloud Load Balancing to distribute traffic across multiple instances in different zones. The application stores session state locally on each VM. Users report that after being directed to a different instance, their session is lost. What is the most suitable solution to maintain session persistence?
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
✓
Enable session affinity (sticky sessions) on the load balancer
Cloud Load Balancing supports session affinity (sticky sessions) based on client IP or HTTP cookie, which directs a user to the same backend instance. Moving session state to a central database (Cloud SQL) or Memorystore also works but changes the application. Enabling HTTP cookies is a client-side solution not reliable. Using a header-based approach is less common.
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.
- ✗
Store session state in Cloud SQL and share across instances
Why it's wrong here
This would solve the problem but requires application changes; the question asks for the most suitable solution, and session affinity is simpler if no application changes are desired.
- ✗
Configure Cloud CDN to cache session data
Why it's wrong here
Cloud CDN caches static content, not dynamic session data.
- ✗
Use a global load balancer with HTTP cookies to track sessions
Why it's wrong here
HTTP cookies alone do not ensure session affinity; the load balancer must be configured to use the cookie for routing.
- ✓
Enable session affinity (sticky sessions) on the load balancer
Why this is correct
Session affinity ensures that requests from the same user are sent to the same backend instance, preserving local session state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 GCDL exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Google Cloud Products and Services — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this GCDL question test?
Google Cloud Products and Services — This question tests Google Cloud Products and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable session affinity (sticky sessions) on the load balancer — Cloud Load Balancing supports session affinity (sticky sessions) based on client IP or HTTP cookie, which directs a user to the same backend instance. Moving session state to a central database (Cloud SQL) or Memorystore also works but changes the application. Enabling HTTP cookies is a client-side solution not reliable. Using a header-based approach is less common.
What should I do if I get this GCDL question wrong?
Identify which GCDL exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This GCDL 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 GCDL exam.
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