- A
Use exclusion filters to drop debug logs.
Exclusion filters prevent logs from being ingested and stored, directly reducing costs for low-value logs like debug messages.
- B
Route all logs to BigQuery for long-term storage.
Why wrong: Routing logs to BigQuery incurs additional BigQuery storage costs and does not reduce Cloud Logging ingestion costs; it may increase overall cost.
- C
Use log sinks to export logs to Cloud Storage and delete from Logging.
Why wrong: Exporting to Cloud Storage does not automatically delete logs from Logging unless combined with exclusion filters; it adds storage costs.
- D
Set retention periods to the minimum required.
Shorter retention periods reduce the amount of stored log data, lowering storage costs.
- E
Disable default logs for all services.
Why wrong: Disabling default logs may cause loss of important operational data; selective exclusion is better than disabling entirely.
Quick Answer
The answer is setting retention periods to the minimum required and using exclusion filters to drop low-value logs before ingestion. Exclusion filters directly reduce costs by preventing high-volume, low-value entries—such as debug-level logs—from being ingested and billed, as Cloud Logging charges based on ingested data volume. Retention periods control storage costs, so keeping logs only as long as compliance or debugging needs require minimizes ongoing storage fees. On the Google Professional Cloud Developer exam, this tests your understanding of the ingestion vs. storage cost model; a common trap is confusing exclusion filters with retention policies, since both reduce costs but at different stages. Remember the mnemonic “Exclude before you store”—exclusion filters cut costs at ingestion, while retention cuts costs after storage.
PCD Managing application performance monitoring Practice Question
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of managing application performance monitoring. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO are best practices for reducing the cost of Cloud Logging for a high-traffic application?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Use exclusion filters to drop debug logs.
Option A is correct because exclusion filters in Cloud Logging allow you to drop specific log entries (e.g., debug-level logs) before they are ingested, which directly reduces the volume of logs billed. Since Cloud Logging charges based on the amount of data ingested, excluding high-volume, low-value logs like debug messages is a primary cost-saving measure.
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.
- ✓
Use exclusion filters to drop debug logs.
Why this is correct
Exclusion filters prevent logs from being ingested and stored, directly reducing costs for low-value logs like debug messages.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Route all logs to BigQuery for long-term storage.
Why it's wrong here
Routing logs to BigQuery incurs additional BigQuery storage costs and does not reduce Cloud Logging ingestion costs; it may increase overall cost.
- ✗
Use log sinks to export logs to Cloud Storage and delete from Logging.
Why it's wrong here
Exporting to Cloud Storage does not automatically delete logs from Logging unless combined with exclusion filters; it adds storage costs.
- ✓
Set retention periods to the minimum required.
Why this is correct
Shorter retention periods reduce the amount of stored log data, lowering storage costs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Disable default logs for all services.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling default logs may cause loss of important operational data; selective exclusion is better than disabling entirely.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that exporting or deleting logs after ingestion reduces costs, but the trap here is that Cloud Logging bills on ingestion, not storage, so only exclusion filters (which prevent ingestion) actually lower the bill.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud Logging exclusion filters are evaluated at ingestion time, meaning logs matching the filter are dropped before they are written to the logging backend, thus avoiding both storage and indexing costs. The exclusion filter syntax uses the Logging Query Language (LQL) and can target specific log levels (e.g., severity=DEBUG) or resource labels. A real-world scenario: a high-traffic microservices application generating millions of debug logs per minute could save thousands of dollars monthly by applying an exclusion filter for severity=DEBUG across all projects.
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 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
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCD question test?
Managing application performance monitoring — This question tests Managing application performance monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use exclusion filters to drop debug logs. — Option A is correct because exclusion filters in Cloud Logging allow you to drop specific log entries (e.g., debug-level logs) before they are ingested, which directly reduces the volume of logs billed. Since Cloud Logging charges based on the amount of data ingested, excluding high-volume, low-value logs like debug messages is a primary cost-saving measure.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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.
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