PCDOE Managing Google Cloud costs Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of managing google cloud costs. 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 company runs a nightly batch data processing job on Compute Engine instances. The job runs for approximately 2 hours each night and is fault-tolerant (can resume from checkpoint). The team wants to minimize costs. Which TWO strategies should they implement? (Choose two.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use preemptible VMs for the worker nodes.
Preemptible VMs are significantly cheaper than standard VMs (up to 60-80% discount) and are ideal for fault-tolerant, short-lived batch jobs that can resume from checkpoints. Since the job runs nightly for only 2 hours and can handle interruptions, preemptible VMs minimize costs without risking job completion.
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 preemptible VMs for the worker nodes.
Why this is correct
Preemptible VMs cost ~60% less and are suitable for fault-tolerant batch jobs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Purchase 1-year committed use discounts for the worker nodes.
Why it's wrong here
Committed use discounts require full-time usage; for a 2-hour job, the cost savings will not offset the commitment.
✗
Migrate the workload to Cloud Functions.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Functions has a 9-minute execution timeout and is not suitable for long-running batch jobs.
✓
Select custom machine types tailored to the workload's resource needs.
Why this is correct
Custom machine types prevent over-provisioning and reduce costs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable sustained use discounts by keeping the instances running 24/7.
Why it's wrong here
Sustained use discounts are automatic; keeping instances idle increases cost.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that committed use discounts are always the best cost-saving strategy, but candidates must recognize that they are only cost-effective for steady-state workloads, not short-duration batch jobs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Preemptible VMs in Compute Engine are Compute Engine instances that last up to 24 hours and can be terminated at any time by Google Cloud; they are priced at a fraction of standard instances and are ideal for batch processing, rendering, and fault-tolerant workloads. Custom machine types allow you to specify exact vCPU and memory combinations, avoiding over-provisioning and reducing costs compared to predefined machine types that may include unnecessary resources. Sustained use discounts are automatic and apply per region per machine series, but they only reduce the cost of instances that run for more than 25% of a month; they do not justify running idle instances.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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.
Managing Google Cloud costs — This question tests Managing Google Cloud costs — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use preemptible VMs for the worker nodes. — Preemptible VMs are significantly cheaper than standard VMs (up to 60-80% discount) and are ideal for fault-tolerant, short-lived batch jobs that can resume from checkpoints. Since the job runs nightly for only 2 hours and can handle interruptions, preemptible VMs minimize costs without risking job completion.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE 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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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