- A
Use Cloud Audit Logs to detect configuration changes after the fact
Why wrong: This is detective, not preventive.
- B
Implement canary deployments with automated rollback based on SLI metrics
This would catch the degradation (e.g., TLS errors) and rollback automatically.
- C
Add a manual approval gate before every deployment
Why wrong: Manual gates increase toil and may not catch all issues; automation is preferred.
- D
Disable automated deployments and require all changes to be made manually
Why wrong: Manual changes increase toil and risk of human error.
Question 995 of 1,000
PCDE Practice Question: Applying Site Reliability Engineering Practices to a Service
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of applying site reliability engineering practices to a service. 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.
During a postmortem for a service outage, the team identifies that the root cause was a configuration change that disabled TLS on a critical internal service. The change was made by an automated deployment pipeline. Which tool or practice should be implemented to prevent this in the future?
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
✓
Implement canary deployments with automated rollback based on SLI metrics
Preventing misconfigurations requires automated validation in the deployment pipeline. A canary analysis or progressive delivery with automated checks can catch such issues. Cloud Deploy supports canary deployments with verification using Cloud Monitoring. Additionally, using Binary Authorization or Config Connector can enforce policies. But the best practice is to implement automated canary analysis that checks SLI metrics before full rollout.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 Cloud Audit Logs to detect configuration changes after the fact
Why it's wrong here
This is detective, not preventive.
- ✓
Implement canary deployments with automated rollback based on SLI metrics
Why this is correct
This would catch the degradation (e.g., TLS errors) and rollback automatically.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✗
Add a manual approval gate before every deployment
Why it's wrong here
Manual gates increase toil and may not catch all issues; automation is preferred.
- ✗
Disable automated deployments and require all changes to be made manually
Why it's wrong here
Manual changes increase toil and risk of human error.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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. Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access. 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.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCDE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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Applying Site Reliability Engineering Practices to a Service — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Applying Site Reliability Engineering Practices to a Service — This question tests Applying Site Reliability Engineering Practices to a Service — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement canary deployments with automated rollback based on SLI metrics — Preventing misconfigurations requires automated validation in the deployment pipeline. A canary analysis or progressive delivery with automated checks can catch such issues. Cloud Deploy supports canary deployments with verification using Cloud Monitoring. Additionally, using Binary Authorization or Config Connector can enforce policies. But the best practice is to implement automated canary analysis that checks SLI metrics before full rollout.
What should I do if I get this PCDE question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCDE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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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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