- A
Use IAM roles to restrict Compute Engine instance creation
Why wrong: IAM roles control permissions, not geographic location. A user with compute.instance.create can still create instances in any region.
- B
Create an Assured Workloads folder with EU data boundary
Why wrong: Assured Workloads provides compliance controls but does not restrict resource creation to specific regions; it enforces data residency via other mechanisms.
- C
Configure Cloud KMS key ring location constraint
Why wrong: Key ring location is for encryption keys, not for all resources. It does not prevent creating other resources outside EU.
- D
Set the `gcp.resourceLocations` constraint at the organization or folder level
This constraint defines the list of allowed resource locations, blocking creation outside those regions.
PCSE Ensuring Data Protection Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring data protection. 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.
A financial institution must store data in specific EU regions to comply with GDPR. They want to prevent users from creating resources in other regions. Which organization policy should they set?
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
Set the `gcp.resourceLocations` constraint at the organization or folder level
The `gcp.resourceLocations` organization policy constraint is the correct mechanism to restrict where resources can be created in Google Cloud. By setting this list constraint at the organization or folder level, you can specify allowed locations (e.g., EU regions), and any attempt to create a resource outside those regions will be denied. This directly enforces GDPR data residency requirements without relying on IAM roles or service-specific configurations.
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 IAM roles to restrict Compute Engine instance creation
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles control permissions, not geographic location. A user with compute.instance.create can still create instances in any region.
- ✗
Create an Assured Workloads folder with EU data boundary
Why it's wrong here
Assured Workloads provides compliance controls but does not restrict resource creation to specific regions; it enforces data residency via other mechanisms.
- ✗
Configure Cloud KMS key ring location constraint
Why it's wrong here
Key ring location is for encryption keys, not for all resources. It does not prevent creating other resources outside EU.
- ✓
Set the `gcp.resourceLocations` constraint at the organization or folder level
Why this is correct
This constraint defines the list of allowed resource locations, blocking creation outside those regions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between IAM-based access control and organization policy constraints, leading candidates to mistakenly choose IAM roles (Option A) when the question is about restricting resource locations rather than user permissions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `gcp.resourceLocations` constraint is a list constraint that uses the Resource Location Restriction API to evaluate the location of every resource creation request against an allowed list. Under the hood, it intercepts the resource creation call at the organization policy layer, checking the `location` field in the resource's metadata. In a real-world scenario, if a user tries to create a Cloud Storage bucket in `us-central1` while the constraint only allows `europe-west1`, the API returns a `403` error with a message indicating the location is not permitted by organization policy.
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.
- →
Ensuring Data Protection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Ensuring Data Protection — This question tests Ensuring Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set the `gcp.resourceLocations` constraint at the organization or folder level — The `gcp.resourceLocations` organization policy constraint is the correct mechanism to restrict where resources can be created in Google Cloud. By setting this list constraint at the organization or folder level, you can specify allowed locations (e.g., EU regions), and any attempt to create a resource outside those regions will be denied. This directly enforces GDPR data residency requirements without relying on IAM roles or service-specific configurations.
What should I do if I get this PCSE 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
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.
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