PCD Building and testing applications Practice Question
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of building and testing applications. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A Cloud Build config deploys a new image to GKE. After the build succeeds, the pods restart with the new image but the application configuration is unchanged. What is the most likely cause?
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 ConfigMap is not updated with the new configuration values.
A is correct because a Cloud Build config that deploys a new image to GKE does not automatically update the ConfigMap. The pods restart with the new image, but the application configuration remains unchanged because the ConfigMap still holds the old values. To apply new configuration, the ConfigMap must be updated separately, and the pods must be restarted or redeployed to pick up the changes.
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 ConfigMap is not updated with the new configuration values.
Why this is correct
Correct; the application config is stored in a ConfigMap that is not refreshed during deployment.
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 deployment rollout strategy is set to Recreate, causing downtime.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; the issue is not about rollout strategy but about configuration not being updated.
✗
The new image is not being pulled because of imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; the image tag changes with each build, so it will be pulled.
✗
The GKE cluster does not have sufficient permissions to pull from Container Registry.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; the build succeeded and pushed, so permissions are likely fine.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that deploying a new image automatically updates the application configuration, when in fact ConfigMaps and Secrets must be updated independently.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ConfigMaps are immutable by default in the sense that they are not updated when a new image is deployed; they must be explicitly modified or recreated. In Kubernetes, pods reference ConfigMaps via environment variables or volume mounts, and changes to a ConfigMap are not automatically propagated to running pods unless the pod is restarted or uses a subPath volume mount with a symlink. A common real-world scenario is using Helm or Kustomize to manage ConfigMap updates alongside image updates to ensure configuration consistency.
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 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.
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.
Building and testing applications — This question tests Building and testing applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The ConfigMap is not updated with the new configuration values. — A is correct because a Cloud Build config that deploys a new image to GKE does not automatically update the ConfigMap. The pods restart with the new image, but the application configuration remains unchanged because the ConfigMap still holds the old values. To apply new configuration, the ConfigMap must be updated separately, and the pods must be restarted or redeployed to pick up the changes.
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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This PCD 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 PCD exam.
Question Discussion
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