- A
Set min instances on Cloud Run
Why wrong: Cloud Run is a different service; not applicable to GKE.
- B
Set Horizontal Pod Autoscaler based on CPU utilization
HPA scales pods when CPU is high.
- C
Use preemptible nodes
Why wrong: Preemptible nodes are cost-effective but may not improve performance; they can be terminated.
- D
Enable Cluster Autoscaler for node scaling
Ensures nodes are available for scheduled pods.
- E
Configure Vertical Pod Autoscaler in Auto mode
VPA adjusts CPU/memory requests automatically.
Question 445 of 1,000
PCDE Optimising Service Performance Practice Question
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of optimising service performance. 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.
A DevOps engineer is optimizing a GKE workload that is CPU-bound. They want to ensure proper resource allocation to improve performance. Which three actions should they take? (Choose THREE).
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
✓
Set Horizontal Pod Autoscaler based on CPU utilization
VPA recommends resource requests/limits; cluster autoscaler ensures node capacity; HPA handles scaling based on CPU.
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.
- ✗
Set min instances on Cloud Run
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Run is a different service; not applicable to GKE.
- ✓
Set Horizontal Pod Autoscaler based on CPU utilization
Why this is correct
HPA scales pods when CPU is high.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use preemptible nodes
Why it's wrong here
Preemptible nodes are cost-effective but may not improve performance; they can be terminated.
- ✓
Enable Cluster Autoscaler for node scaling
Why this is correct
Ensures nodes are available for scheduled pods.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Configure Vertical Pod Autoscaler in Auto mode
Why this is correct
VPA adjusts CPU/memory requests automatically.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Optimising Service Performance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Optimising Service Performance practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Optimising Service Performance — This question tests Optimising Service Performance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set Horizontal Pod Autoscaler based on CPU utilization — VPA recommends resource requests/limits; cluster autoscaler ensures node capacity; HPA handles scaling based on CPU.
What should I do if I get this PCDE question wrong?
Identify which PCDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Jul 4, 2026
This PCDE 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 PCDE exam.
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