- A
Grant the service account the Storage Object Admin role (roles/storage.objectAdmin) on Project B
Why wrong: Storage Object Admin is for Cloud Storage buckets, not Artifact Registry repositories. It grants too many permissions.
- B
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Writer role (roles/artifactregistry.writer) on the repository in Project B
Writer role allows pushing images and is the correct least-privilege role for this task.
- C
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Admin role (roles/artifactregistry.admin) on the repository in Project B
Why wrong: Admin role is too broad; it includes delete and manage permissions beyond just pushing.
- D
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Reader role (roles/artifactregistry.reader) on the repository in Project B
Why wrong: Reader role only allows pulling images, not pushing.
Google PCA Practice Question: Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of managing and provisioning a solution infrastructure. 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 wants to grant a service account in Project A the ability to push containers to Artifact Registry in Project B. They want to follow the principle of least privilege. Which IAM roles should they assign?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Writer role (roles/artifactregistry.writer) on the repository in Project B
To push containers, the service account needs the Artifact Registry Writer role (roles/artifactregistry.writer) on the repository in Project B. The Storage Object Admin role is too broad. The Artifact Registry Admin role is overly permissive. The Viewer role only allows reading.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Grant the service account the Storage Object Admin role (roles/storage.objectAdmin) on Project B
Why it's wrong here
Storage Object Admin is for Cloud Storage buckets, not Artifact Registry repositories. It grants too many permissions.
- ✓
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Writer role (roles/artifactregistry.writer) on the repository in Project B
Why this is correct
Writer role allows pushing images and is the correct least-privilege role for this task.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✗
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Admin role (roles/artifactregistry.admin) on the repository in Project B
Why it's wrong here
Admin role is too broad; it includes delete and manage permissions beyond just pushing.
- ✗
Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Reader role (roles/artifactregistry.reader) on the repository in Project B
Why it's wrong here
Reader role only allows pulling images, not pushing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCA questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure — This question tests Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Grant the service account the Artifact Registry Writer role (roles/artifactregistry.writer) on the repository in Project B — To push containers, the service account needs the Artifact Registry Writer role (roles/artifactregistry.writer) on the repository in Project B. The Storage Object Admin role is too broad. The Artifact Registry Admin role is overly permissive. The Viewer role only allows reading.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCA questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCA 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 PCA exam.
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