The answer is that the instance had automatic restart disabled, which is the most likely reason for its TERMINATED state. When automatic restart is disabled on a Google Compute Engine instance, the instance will not be automatically restarted after a host maintenance event or underlying hardware failure; instead of being migrated or rebooted, it transitions directly to a TERMINATED state. On the Google Professional Cloud Developer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of instance lifecycle management and the distinction between automatic restart and live migration policies. A common trap is confusing automatic restart with on-host maintenance behavior—remember that disabling automatic restart only prevents restart after failure, not during planned maintenance. The key memory tip is: "No restart, no recovery—TERMINATED is the final stop."
PCD Practice Question: Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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
Refer to the exhibit.
```
gcloud compute instances list
NAME ZONE MACHINE_TYPE PREEMPTIBLE INTERNAL_IP STATUS
instance-1 us-central1 n1-standard-1 10.128.0.2 RUNNING
instance-2 us-central1 n1-standard-1 10.128.0.3 RUNNING
instance-3 us-central1 n1-standard-1 10.128.0.4 TERMINATED
```
Refer to the exhibit. A developer notices that instance-3 is in TERMINATED state. 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 instance had automatic restart disabled
When an instance's 'automatic restart' is disabled, the instance will not be automatically restarted after a host maintenance event or a failure. If the underlying host experiences an issue, the instance transitions to TERMINATED state instead of being migrated or restarted. This is the most likely reason for instance-3 being in TERMINATED state while other instances remain running.
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 instance was deleted
Why it's wrong here
Deleted instances are removed from the list, so a TERMINATED instance still exists.
✓
The instance had automatic restart disabled
Why this is correct
With automatic restart disabled, the instance does not restart after failure, resulting in TERMINATED state.
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 instance was preempted
Why it's wrong here
Preempted instances show STOPPED, not TERMINATED.
✗
The instance's zone was unavailable
Why it's wrong here
Zone unavailability would cause the instance to be in UNKNOWN status or fail to list, not TERMINATED.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between 'automatic restart' (failure recovery) and 'onHostMaintenance' (planned maintenance behavior), causing candidates to confuse preemption or zone unavailability with the actual reason for a TERMINATED state.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Preempted instances show STOPPED, not TERMINATED.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Google Compute Engine, the 'automatic restart' setting controls whether an instance is automatically restarted after a host failure or maintenance event. When disabled, the instance will not be recovered and will remain in TERMINATED state. This is distinct from 'onHostMaintenance' (MIGRATE vs TERMINATE), which controls behavior during planned maintenance. The TERMINATED state indicates the instance has been stopped and its resources released, but the instance object still exists in the project.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications — This question tests Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The instance had automatic restart disabled — When an instance's 'automatic restart' is disabled, the instance will not be automatically restarted after a host maintenance event or a failure. If the underlying host experiences an issue, the instance transitions to TERMINATED state instead of being migrated or restarted. This is the most likely reason for instance-3 being in TERMINATED state while other instances remain running.
What should I do if I get this PCD 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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