Google PCA Practice Question: Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of analysing and optimising technical and business processes. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 migrating a large on-premises data warehouse to BigQuery. The data includes sensitive customer information that must be encrypted at rest and in transit. They also need to mask credit card numbers for analysts who do not have a need to see the full number. Which TWO Google Cloud services should they use? (Choose 2.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cloud Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
BigQuery supports column-level security via policy tags using Data Catalog. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) can automatically classify and mask sensitive data such as credit card numbers. Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) is for managing encryption keys but not for masking. Cloud Audit Logs are for auditing, not masking. Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) controls access at the application level, not for data masking.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Why it's wrong here
IAP controls access to applications, not to data within BigQuery tables.
✓
Cloud Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Why this is correct
DLP can inspect and de-identify sensitive data, such as masking credit card numbers, before storing in BigQuery.
KMS manages encryption keys but does not provide data masking capabilities.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PCA question in full detail.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related PCA subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes — This question tests Analysing and Optimising Technical and Business Processes — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cloud Data Loss Prevention (DLP) — BigQuery supports column-level security via policy tags using Data Catalog. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) can automatically classify and mask sensitive data such as credit card numbers. Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) is for managing encryption keys but not for masking. Cloud Audit Logs are for auditing, not masking. Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) controls access at the application level, not for data masking.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related PCA subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Question Discussion
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