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.
Exhibit
The output of `gcloud compute instances list --format="table(name,zone,machineType,preemptible,status)"` shows:
```
NAME ZONE MACHINE_TYPE PREEMPTIBLE STATUS
instance-1 us-central1-a n1-standard-4 true RUNNING
instance-2 us-central1-b n1-standard-8 false RUNNING
instance-3 us-central1-a n1-standard-2 false TERMINATED
```
Refer to the exhibit. A DevOps engineer wants to reduce compute costs immediately. Which action is most effective?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4.
Rightsizing instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4 reduces vCPUs from 8 to 4, directly lowering cost. The terminated instance incurs no cost, and the preemptible instance is already cost-effective. Zone changes do not affect cost.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Delete the terminated instance.
Why it's wrong here
Terminated instances do not incur compute costs.
✓
Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4.
Why this is correct
Reducing the machine size saves cost.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Change instance-1 to a non-preemptible instance.
Why it's wrong here
Changing to non-preemptible would increase cost.
✗
Move instance-1 to a different zone.
Why it's wrong here
Zone changes do not affect cost.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCDOE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Managing Google Cloud costs — This question tests Managing Google Cloud costs — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4. — Rightsizing instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4 reduces vCPUs from 8 to 4, directly lowering cost. The terminated instance incurs no cost, and the preemptible instance is already cost-effective. Zone changes do not affect cost.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCDOE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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