Cloud Digital Leader Scaling with Google Cloud operations Practice Question
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of scaling with google cloud operations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Exhibit
gcloud compute instance-groups managed list --zone us-central1-a
NAME LOCATION SCOPE BASE_INSTANCE_NAME SIZE TARGET_SIZE INSTANCE_TEMPLATE AUTOSCALED
my-mig us-central1-a zone my-instance 10 20 my-template yes
Refer to the exhibit. The autoscaler is configured to maintain a target CPU utilization of 0.6. Currently the group has 10 instances, but the autoscaler is not scaling up even though CPU utilization is above 0.8. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The maximum number of instances is set to 10
The autoscaler is configured to maintain a target CPU utilization of 0.6, but the current CPU utilization is above 0.8. Despite this, the autoscaler is not scaling up. The most likely reason is that the maximum number of instances is set to 10, and the group has already reached that limit. In Google Cloud, the autoscaler will not create new instances beyond the configured maximum, even if the target utilization is exceeded.
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.
✓
The maximum number of instances is set to 10
Why this is correct
If max instances is 10, the autoscaler cannot scale beyond that even if target is higher.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The autoscaler is disabled
Why it's wrong here
The output shows AUTOSCALED: yes, so it is enabled.
✗
The instance template is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
Misconfigured template would cause new instances to fail, but autoscaler would still try.
✗
The autoscaler cooldown period is preventing new instances
Why it's wrong here
Cooldown is temporary and would not prevent scaling for long.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that the autoscaler will always scale up when utilization exceeds the target, ignoring the hard limit of the maximum instance count, which is a common configuration oversight.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The output shows AUTOSCALED: yes, so it is enabled.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The autoscaler in Google Cloud Managed Instance Groups uses a target CPU utilization metric and compares the current average CPU utilization across all instances to the target. It calculates the desired number of instances as ceil(current_instances * current_utilization / target_utilization). If the desired number exceeds the configured maximum, the autoscaler is capped at the maximum. In this case, with 10 instances at 0.8 utilization, the desired count would be ceil(10 * 0.8 / 0.6) = ceil(13.33) = 14, but since the maximum is 10, no new instances are added. This behavior is defined in the autoscaler's scaling policy and is a common cause of 'stuck' 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
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this GCDL question in full detail.
Scaling with Google Cloud operations — This question tests Scaling with Google Cloud operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The maximum number of instances is set to 10 — The autoscaler is configured to maintain a target CPU utilization of 0.6, but the current CPU utilization is above 0.8. Despite this, the autoscaler is not scaling up. The most likely reason is that the maximum number of instances is set to 10, and the group has already reached that limit. In Google Cloud, the autoscaler will not create new instances beyond the configured maximum, even if the target utilization is exceeded.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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