- A
Apply an organization policy 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' at the desired level.
This policy enforces that all disks use CMEK.
- B
Create a KMS key ring and key in the same region as the disks.
The key must exist and be accessible to the Compute Engine service account.
- C
Use gcloud commands to encrypt all existing disks with the KMS key.
Why wrong: Existing disks must be manually encrypted, but the question asks for steps to enforce the policy, which is preventive.
- D
Enable the Cloud KMS API in each project where the policy is enforced.
Why wrong: The KMS API is needed for key management, but the policy already requires CMEK; enabling the API is a prerequisite but not a step to enforce the policy.
- E
Grant the cloudkms.cryptoKeyEncrypterDecrypter role to the Compute Engine service account.
Why wrong: This role is needed for the service account to use the key, but it is not a step to enforce the policy; it's a permission that must be granted separately.
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. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 wants to enforce that all Compute Engine disks must be encrypted with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) stored in Cloud Key Management Service (KMS). Which TWO steps should they take? (Choose two.)
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
Apply an organization policy 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' at the desired level.
Option A is correct because the organization policy constraint 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' enforces that all new Compute Engine disks in the specified hierarchy must be encrypted with a Customer-Managed Encryption Key (CMEK) from Cloud KMS. This policy prevents the creation of unencrypted disks or disks encrypted with Google-managed keys, ensuring compliance with security requirements.
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.
- ✓
Apply an organization policy 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' at the desired level.
Why this is correct
This policy enforces that all disks use CMEK.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create a KMS key ring and key in the same region as the disks.
Why this is correct
The key must exist and be accessible to the Compute Engine service account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use gcloud commands to encrypt all existing disks with the KMS key.
Why it's wrong here
Existing disks must be manually encrypted, but the question asks for steps to enforce the policy, which is preventive.
- ✗
Enable the Cloud KMS API in each project where the policy is enforced.
Why it's wrong here
The KMS API is needed for key management, but the policy already requires CMEK; enabling the API is a prerequisite but not a step to enforce the policy.
- ✗
Grant the cloudkms.cryptoKeyEncrypterDecrypter role to the Compute Engine service account.
Why it's wrong here
This role is needed for the service account to use the key, but it is not a step to enforce the policy; it's a permission that must be granted separately.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the IAM role required for the Compute Engine service account (which is the Compute Engine Service Agent, not the default compute service account) and mistakenly think enabling the Cloud KMS API is a step to enforce the policy rather than a prerequisite for using CMEK keys.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' policy works by intercepting the disk creation API call (disks.insert) and validating that the 'kmsKeyName' field is present and references a valid CMEK key in Cloud KMS. The key ring and key must reside in the same region as the disk because CMEK keys are regional resources, and the Compute Engine service uses envelope encryption where the disk's data encryption key (DEK) is wrapped by the key encryption key (KEK) stored in KMS. In a real-world scenario, if a DevOps team applies this policy at the folder level, all projects under that folder are automatically protected, preventing accidental creation of unencrypted disks in development or production environments.
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.
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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: Apply an organization policy 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' at the desired level. — Option A is correct because the organization policy constraint 'constraints/compute.requireCmek' enforces that all new Compute Engine disks in the specified hierarchy must be encrypted with a Customer-Managed Encryption Key (CMEK) from Cloud KMS. This policy prevents the creation of unencrypted disks or disks encrypted with Google-managed keys, ensuring compliance with security requirements.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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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