- A
Use Deployment Manager only for new resources and Terraform for existing.
Why wrong: Maintaining two tools increases complexity.
- B
Convert Terraform modules to Deployment Manager templates manually.
Why wrong: Time-consuming and error-prone; not recommended.
- C
Run Terraform as a subprocess within Deployment Manager.
Why wrong: Not supported and introduces complexity.
- D
Use Terraform with a GCS backend; avoid Deployment Manager.
Terraform is the preferred tool; no need to switch.
Question 987 of 1,000
PCDE Practice Question: Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of bootstrapping a google cloud organisation for devops. 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.
A team is migrating to GCP and wants to use Cloud Deployment Manager for infrastructure. They have existing Terraform modules. What is the best approach?
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 Terraform with a GCS backend; avoid Deployment Manager.
Option D is correct because the team already has existing Terraform modules, and using Terraform with a GCS backend allows them to continue leveraging their investment in Terraform without rewriting or bridging tools. Cloud Deployment Manager is a native Google Cloud IaC tool, but it does not natively import or execute Terraform configurations; forcing a migration or hybrid approach introduces unnecessary complexity and risk. The best practice is to standardize on one IaC tool, and since Terraform is already in use, using it with a GCS backend for state management is the most efficient and reliable path.
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 Deployment Manager only for new resources and Terraform for existing.
Why it's wrong here
Maintaining two tools increases complexity.
- ✗
Convert Terraform modules to Deployment Manager templates manually.
Why it's wrong here
Time-consuming and error-prone; not recommended.
- ✗
Run Terraform as a subprocess within Deployment Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Not supported and introduces complexity.
- ✓
Use Terraform with a GCS backend; avoid Deployment Manager.
Why this is correct
Terraform is the preferred tool; no need to switch.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume Cloud Deployment Manager is the 'native' GCP tool and must be used, but the question tests whether you recognize that existing Terraform modules should be preserved and that forcing a migration or hybrid approach is anti-pattern.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Terraform uses a state file (typically stored in a backend like GCS) to map real-world resources to configuration, enabling incremental updates and drift detection. Cloud Deployment Manager uses a different declarative model with its own state management and does not support importing Terraform state or modules. In a real-world scenario, attempting to run Terraform as a subprocess within Deployment Manager would require custom scripting, handling of Terraform's state locking, and managing parallel execution, which is fragile and unsupported by either tool.
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.
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Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps — This question tests Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Terraform with a GCS backend; avoid Deployment Manager. — Option D is correct because the team already has existing Terraform modules, and using Terraform with a GCS backend allows them to continue leveraging their investment in Terraform without rewriting or bridging tools. Cloud Deployment Manager is a native Google Cloud IaC tool, but it does not natively import or execute Terraform configurations; forcing a migration or hybrid approach introduces unnecessary complexity and risk. The best practice is to standardize on one IaC tool, and since Terraform is already in use, using it with a GCS backend for state management is the most efficient and reliable path.
What should I do if I get this PCDE 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: 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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