This PCA practice question tests your understanding of designing and planning a cloud solution architecture. 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 migrate its on-premises monolithic application to Google Cloud with minimal changes. They plan to run it on a virtual machine with a predictable workload that runs 24/7 for a one-year commitment. Which compute option is MOST cost-effective?
Spot VMs
Why wrong: Spot VMs are similar to preemptible and can be terminated.
On-demand VMs
Why wrong: On-demand VMs are more expensive than committed use for long-running workloads.
Committed use discounts
Committed use discounts offer lower cost for a 1-year commitment on 24/7 workloads.
Preemptible VMs
Why wrong: Preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, unsuitable for 24/7 workload.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Committed use discounts
Committed use discounts provide significant cost savings for predictable, always-on workloads over a 1-year (or 3-year) term. While preemptible VMs are cheaper, they can be terminated at any time, making them unsuitable for a 24/7 workload. On-demand VMs are more expensive than committed use. Spot VMs are similar to preemptible but still not guaranteed.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Spot VMs
Why it's wrong here
Spot VMs are similar to preemptible and can be terminated.
On-demand VMs
Why it's wrong here
On-demand VMs are more expensive than committed use for long-running workloads.
Committed use discounts
Why this is correct
Committed use discounts offer lower cost for a 1-year commitment on 24/7 workloads.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Preemptible VMs
Why it's wrong here
Preemptible VMs can be terminated at any time, unsuitable for 24/7 workload.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Spot VMs are similar to preemptible and can be terminated.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
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
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCA NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture — This question tests Designing and Planning a Cloud Solution Architecture — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: Committed use discounts — Committed use discounts provide significant cost savings for predictable, always-on workloads over a 1-year (or 3-year) term. While preemptible VMs are cheaper, they can be terminated at any time, making them unsuitable for a 24/7 workload. On-demand VMs are more expensive than committed use. Spot VMs are similar to preemptible but still not guaranteed.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCA NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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