Cloud Digital Leader Why cloud technology is transforming business Practice Question
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of why cloud technology is transforming 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 media company needs to transcode and store thousands of video files daily, with variable demand. They want to minimize costs while ensuring fast processing. How does cloud transformation help?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Using Cloud Transcoder API and Cloud Storage with lifecycle policies
Option A is correct because Cloud Transcoder API provides a serverless, scalable transcoding service that automatically handles variable demand, while Cloud Storage with lifecycle policies (e.g., moving files to Nearline or Archive after 30 days) minimizes storage costs. This combination ensures fast processing without provisioning fixed infrastructure, directly addressing the need for cost efficiency and speed under fluctuating workloads.
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.
✓
Using Cloud Transcoder API and Cloud Storage with lifecycle policies
Why this is correct
Cloud Transcoder auto-scales, and Cloud Storage lifecycle moves old files to cheaper tiers, optimizing cost.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploying dedicated physical servers in a colocation facility
Why it's wrong here
Physical servers lead to over-provisioning and underutilization with variable demand.
✗
Using batch scripts on a fixed number of on-premise servers
Why it's wrong here
Fixed capacity cannot adapt to spikes in demand.
✗
Using Cloud Functions to process each video
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Functions have time limits and are not suited for long-running transcoding.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that serverless functions like Cloud Functions are a universal solution for all processing tasks, but candidates fail to consider execution timeouts and resource limits that make them impractical for long-running or resource-intensive jobs like video transcoding.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud Transcoder API uses a distributed, job-based architecture that splits video files into segments for parallel processing, leveraging preemptible VMs to reduce costs. Lifecycle policies in Cloud Storage use object management rules (e.g., SetStorageClass action) to automatically transition objects to colder storage tiers like Nearline (30-day minimum) or Archive (365-day minimum), reducing per-GB costs by up to 70% compared to Standard storage. A subtle behavior: lifecycle policies are evaluated once per day, so immediate cost savings are not real-time but accrue over days.
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 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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this GCDL question in full detail.
Why cloud technology is transforming business — This question tests Why cloud technology is transforming business — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Using Cloud Transcoder API and Cloud Storage with lifecycle policies — Option A is correct because Cloud Transcoder API provides a serverless, scalable transcoding service that automatically handles variable demand, while Cloud Storage with lifecycle policies (e.g., moving files to Nearline or Archive after 30 days) minimizes storage costs. This combination ensures fast processing without provisioning fixed infrastructure, directly addressing the need for cost efficiency and speed under fluctuating workloads.
What should I do if I get this GCDL 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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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