- A
Set a bucket retention policy that forces deletion after 30 days
Why wrong: Retention policy prevents deletion, not change storage class.
- B
Write a Cloud Function to delete objects older than 30 days
Why wrong: Deletes objects; need to change storage class, not delete.
- C
Use gsutil rsync to move objects between buckets
Why wrong: gsutil rsync can copy, but not automatic or policy-based.
- D
Configure a Cloud Storage object lifecycle rule with SetStorageClass action
Lifecycle rules automate class transitions based on age.
Question 779 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 team wants to use Cloud Storage to build a data lake with separate zones for raw, curated, and processed data. They need to automatically move objects older than 30 days from the raw zone to a cheaper storage class. How can they achieve this?
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
✓
Configure a Cloud Storage object lifecycle rule with SetStorageClass action
Option D is correct because Cloud Storage object lifecycle management rules can automatically transition objects from one storage class to a cheaper one (e.g., from Standard to Nearline or Coldline) based on age. By configuring a rule with the `SetStorageClass` action and a `Condition` of `age: 30`, objects in the raw zone bucket older than 30 days are moved to a lower-cost class without manual intervention or additional compute services.
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.
- ✗
Set a bucket retention policy that forces deletion after 30 days
Why it's wrong here
Retention policy prevents deletion, not change storage class.
- ✗
Write a Cloud Function to delete objects older than 30 days
Why it's wrong here
Deletes objects; need to change storage class, not delete.
- ✗
Use gsutil rsync to move objects between buckets
Why it's wrong here
gsutil rsync can copy, but not automatic or policy-based.
- ✓
Configure a Cloud Storage object lifecycle rule with SetStorageClass action
Why this is correct
Lifecycle rules automate class transitions based on age.
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 lifecycle rules that change storage class versus retention policies that enforce immutability, and candidates may confuse 'move to cheaper storage' with 'delete' or 'retain'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Object lifecycle management in Cloud Storage evaluates rules every 24 hours, applying actions like `SetStorageClass` or `Delete` based on conditions such as object age, creation date, or storage class. The `SetStorageClass` action can transition objects to Nearline (30-day minimum), Coldline (90-day minimum), or Archive (365-day minimum) storage classes, which have lower per-GB costs but early deletion fees. In a data lake architecture, this enables cost optimization for raw data that becomes less frequently accessed after a defined period.
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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: Configure a Cloud Storage object lifecycle rule with SetStorageClass action — Option D is correct because Cloud Storage object lifecycle management rules can automatically transition objects from one storage class to a cheaper one (e.g., from Standard to Nearline or Coldline) based on age. By configuring a rule with the `SetStorageClass` action and a `Condition` of `age: 30`, objects in the raw zone bucket older than 30 days are moved to a lower-cost class without manual intervention or additional compute services.
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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