- A
Use a single non-preemptible VM to ensure completion.
Why wrong: This avoids preemption risk but costs more; not the most cost-effective.
- B
Use the same VM but as preemptible; if preempted, restart the job from scratch.
Why wrong: Restarting from scratch could exceed the 90-minute window if preempted late.
- C
Split the workload across 4 preemptible n1-standard-8 VMs with checkpointing.
Smaller VMs are cheaper if preempted, and parallelization reduces total time; checkpointing allows resume.
- D
Use a single preemptible VM with persistent disk snapshots every 10 minutes.
Why wrong: Snapshots add latency and may not resume quickly enough.
Question 594 of 1,000
Cloud Digital Leader Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business Practice Question
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of why cloud technology can transform business. 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 runs a batch processing workload every night that takes 60 minutes on a single n1-standard-32 VM. They want to reduce costs by using preemptible VMs but need the job to complete within 90 minutes. The job can be parallelized if necessary. Which approach is most cost-effective?
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
✓
Split the workload across 4 preemptible n1-standard-8 VMs with checkpointing.
Preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, so running multiple smaller instances with checkpointing and retries reduces cost and meets the deadline.
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.
- ✗
Use a single non-preemptible VM to ensure completion.
Why it's wrong here
This avoids preemption risk but costs more; not the most cost-effective.
- ✗
Use the same VM but as preemptible; if preempted, restart the job from scratch.
Why it's wrong here
Restarting from scratch could exceed the 90-minute window if preempted late.
- ✓
Split the workload across 4 preemptible n1-standard-8 VMs with checkpointing.
Why this is correct
Smaller VMs are cheaper if preempted, and parallelization reduces total time; checkpointing allows resume.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a single preemptible VM with persistent disk snapshots every 10 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots add latency and may not resume quickly enough.
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
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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.
- →
Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All GCDL questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Cloud Digital Leader study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
GCDL practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related GCDL practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business.
Fundamental Cloud Concepts practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Fundamental Cloud Concepts.
Google Cloud Security practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Google Cloud Security.
How Google Cloud Resources Are Managed practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to How Google Cloud Resources Are Managed.
Google Cloud Products and Services practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Google Cloud Products and Services.
Why cloud technology is transforming business practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Why cloud technology is transforming business.
Google Cloud products, services, and solutions practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Google Cloud products, services, and solutions.
Scaling with Google Cloud operations practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Scaling with Google Cloud operations.
Trust and security with Google Cloud practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to Trust and security with Google Cloud.
GCDL fundamentals practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to GCDL fundamentals.
GCDL scenario practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to GCDL scenario.
GCDL troubleshooting practice questions
Practise GCDL questions linked to GCDL troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free GCDL 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 GCDL question test?
Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business — This question tests Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Split the workload across 4 preemptible n1-standard-8 VMs with checkpointing. — Preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, so running multiple smaller instances with checkpointing and retries reduces cost and meets the deadline.
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.
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.