The answer is that the organization policy is misconfigured and does not include Cloud SQL in the allowed list. The error message explicitly references the `compute.restrictNonPdServices` constraint, which is designed to restrict non-Persistent Disk services, and the denial occurs because the custom policy’s allowed list omits Cloud SQL, even though it is a FedRAMP authorized service. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how organization policies enforce service restrictions for FedRAMP compliance, often tripping candidates who assume FedRAMP authorization alone grants access. A common trap is overlooking that the policy’s allowed list must explicitly include each service, regardless of its compliance status. To remember: think of the policy as a bouncer with a guest list—FedRAMP authorization is just the VIP badge, but the bouncer still needs the name on the list to let you in.
PCSE Supporting compliance requirements Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of supporting compliance requirements. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 government agency is migrating to Google Cloud and must comply with FedRAMP requirements. They need to ensure that only FedRAMP authorized Google Cloud services are used in their project. The security team has enabled Organization Policies and created a custom policy to restrict allowed services to a specific list. However, when a developer tries to create a Cloud SQL instance, the operation is denied. The developer receives an error: 'The organization policy constraint compute.restrictNonPdServices is not allowing this resource.' The developer is trying to create a Cloud SQL instance, which is a FedRAMP authorized service. What is the most likely cause of the denial?
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.
Cloud SQL instances require a specific region that is not permitted by the policy.
Why wrong: The error does not mention region.
B
The developer does not have the necessary IAM permissions to create Cloud SQL instances.
Why wrong: The error references an organization policy constraint, not IAM.
C
The organization policy is misconfigured and does not include Cloud SQL in the allowed list.
The error indicates the policy constraint is blocking the resource; Cloud SQL is likely not in the allowed list.
D
The organization policy is blocking all services not in a specific list, and Cloud SQL is not included because it is a data service rather than a compute service.
Why wrong: Cloud SQL is a distinct service, not just compute.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The organization policy is misconfigured and does not include Cloud SQL in the allowed list.
The error message explicitly references the `compute.restrictNonPdServices` organization policy constraint, which is used to restrict the creation of non-Persistent Disk (PD) services. The developer's attempt to create a Cloud SQL instance is denied because the custom policy's allowed list does not include Cloud SQL, even though it is a FedRAMP authorized service. The policy must be updated to include Cloud SQL in the allowed services list for the operation to succeed.
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.
✗
Cloud SQL instances require a specific region that is not permitted by the policy.
Why it's wrong here
The error does not mention region.
✗
The developer does not have the necessary IAM permissions to create Cloud SQL instances.
Why it's wrong here
The error references an organization policy constraint, not IAM.
✓
The organization policy is misconfigured and does not include Cloud SQL in the allowed list.
Why this is correct
The error indicates the policy constraint is blocking the resource; Cloud SQL is likely not in the allowed list.
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 organization policy is blocking all services not in a specific list, and Cloud SQL is not included because it is a data service rather than a compute service.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL is a distinct service, not just compute.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between organization policy constraints and IAM permissions, and the trap here is that candidates may confuse a policy constraint error with a permissions error, or incorrectly assume that FedRAMP authorization automatically overrides organization policies.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `compute.restrictNonPdServices` organization policy constraint is a list constraint that defines which Google Cloud services are allowed to create resources that do not use Persistent Disk storage. When a custom policy is created, it must explicitly include the service name (e.g., `sqladmin.googleapis.com`) in the allowed values list; otherwise, any attempt to create a resource from that service (like Cloud SQL) will be denied. This constraint is often used in FedRAMP environments to enforce a whitelist of approved services, and misconfigurations are common when the list is not comprehensive.
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.
Supporting compliance requirements — This question tests Supporting compliance requirements — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The organization policy is misconfigured and does not include Cloud SQL in the allowed list. — The error message explicitly references the `compute.restrictNonPdServices` organization policy constraint, which is used to restrict the creation of non-Persistent Disk (PD) services. The developer's attempt to create a Cloud SQL instance is denied because the custom policy's allowed list does not include Cloud SQL, even though it is a FedRAMP authorized service. The policy must be updated to include Cloud SQL in the allowed services list for the operation to succeed.
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.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.