- A
Use Cloud Storage lifecycle rules to delete tables after 90 days
Why wrong: Lifecycle rules apply to Cloud Storage objects, not BigQuery tables.
- B
Create an IAM policy that revokes access after 90 days
Why wrong: IAM policies do not delete tables; they only control access.
- C
Use BigQuery scheduled queries to delete tables older than 90 days
Why wrong: This is possible but not the simplest or most automatic method; dataset-level default expiration is the native solution.
- D
Set a default table expiration on each BigQuery dataset to 90 days
BigQuery dataset properties allow setting a default table expiration, automatically deleting tables after the specified days.
Question 106 of 1,000
PDE Storing the Data Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of storing the data. 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 data engineer needs to enforce that all datasets in a project expire after 90 days to reduce storage costs. They want to automate this without manual intervention. Which approach should they use?
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 a default table expiration on each BigQuery dataset to 90 days
Option D is correct because BigQuery datasets support a default table expiration setting that automatically deletes tables after a specified number of days. This enforces a 90-day lifecycle for all tables in the dataset without requiring manual intervention or external automation, directly addressing the cost reduction goal.
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 Cloud Storage lifecycle rules to delete tables after 90 days
Why it's wrong here
Lifecycle rules apply to Cloud Storage objects, not BigQuery tables.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy that revokes access after 90 days
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies do not delete tables; they only control access.
- ✗
Use BigQuery scheduled queries to delete tables older than 90 days
Why it's wrong here
This is possible but not the simplest or most automatic method; dataset-level default expiration is the native solution.
- ✓
Set a default table expiration on each BigQuery dataset to 90 days
Why this is correct
BigQuery dataset properties allow setting a default table expiration, automatically deleting tables after the specified days.
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 storage lifecycle management (Cloud Storage) and data lifecycle management (BigQuery), leading candidates to mistakenly apply Cloud Storage rules to BigQuery tables.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The default table expiration is set at the dataset level using the `defaultTableExpirationMs` property in the dataset metadata, specified in milliseconds (e.g., 90 days = 7,776,000,000 ms). When a table is created without an explicit expiration, BigQuery automatically applies this default, and the table is deleted when the expiration time is reached, even if the table is actively being queried. This mechanism is part of BigQuery's native lifecycle management and operates asynchronously, typically deleting tables within a few hours of the expiration time.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Storing the Data — This question tests Storing the Data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set a default table expiration on each BigQuery dataset to 90 days — Option D is correct because BigQuery datasets support a default table expiration setting that automatically deletes tables after a specified number of days. This enforces a 90-day lifecycle for all tables in the dataset without requiring manual intervention or external automation, directly addressing the cost reduction goal.
What should I do if I get this PDE 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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PDE 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 PDE exam.
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