- A
The Cloud Build service account lacks permissions to connect to Cloud SQL
Why wrong: Permission issues cause access denied, not timeout.
- B
The database name is incorrect
Why wrong: Incorrect database name gives a different error.
- C
The private pool is not peered with the VPC that contains the Cloud SQL instance
Without VPC peering, the build cannot reach Cloud SQL, causing timeout.
- D
The Cloud SQL instance requires SSL
Why wrong: SSL mismatch would give a connection error, not timeout.
Question 477 of 1,000
PCDE Practice Question: Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of building and implementing ci/cd pipelines for a service. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An engineer uses Cloud Build with a private pool to build an application that needs to connect to a Cloud SQL database. The build step fails with a connection timeout. 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 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
✓
The private pool is not peered with the VPC that contains the Cloud SQL instance
A private Cloud Build pool runs in a customer-managed VPC, so it must be peered with the VPC hosting the Cloud SQL instance to establish network connectivity. Without VPC peering, the build step cannot reach the Cloud SQL private IP, resulting in a connection timeout. This is the most likely cause because the error is a timeout, not an authentication or configuration issue.
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 Cloud Build service account lacks permissions to connect to Cloud SQL
Why it's wrong here
Permission issues cause access denied, not timeout.
- ✗
The database name is incorrect
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect database name gives a different error.
- ✓
The private pool is not peered with the VPC that contains the Cloud SQL instance
Why this is correct
Without VPC peering, the build cannot reach Cloud SQL, causing timeout.
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 Cloud SQL instance requires SSL
Why it's wrong here
SSL mismatch would give a connection error, not timeout.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between network connectivity failures (timeouts) and authentication/configuration errors (access denied, SSL errors) to see if candidates understand that a timeout points to a routing or firewall issue, not a permissions or SQL syntax problem.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud Build private pools use a Service Directory-backed network endpoint group that requires VPC peering (or Private Service Connect) to route traffic to Cloud SQL instances. The connection timeout occurs because the build worker's network interface is isolated from the Cloud SQL VPC, so TCP SYN packets never reach the database's private IP. In contrast, public Cloud Build pools use Google's shared infrastructure and can reach Cloud SQL via public IP or Serverless VPC Access, but private pools are explicitly isolated.
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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Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service — This question tests Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The private pool is not peered with the VPC that contains the Cloud SQL instance — A private Cloud Build pool runs in a customer-managed VPC, so it must be peered with the VPC hosting the Cloud SQL instance to establish network connectivity. Without VPC peering, the build step cannot reach the Cloud SQL private IP, resulting in a connection timeout. This is the most likely cause because the error is a timeout, not an authentication or configuration issue.
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: "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.
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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