The answer is to ensure the Cloud Build service account has the `run.services.update` permission on the Cloud Run service. This error occurs because Cloud Build’s default compute engine service account lacks explicit ownership or update rights over an existing Cloud Run service, causing the intermittent "service already exists and is not owned by the calling user" failure when the deployment step runs. On the Google Professional Data Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of IAM permissions within CI/CD pipelines, specifically how service account impersonation and resource ownership interact with Cloud Build and Cloud Run. A common trap is assuming the default editor role is sufficient, but Cloud Run requires the `run.services.update` permission on the specific service, not just project-level roles. To remember: think "update, not create" — the service exists, so the caller needs update rights, not just create rights.
PDE Operationalizing machine learning models Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of operationalizing machine learning models. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 startup is using Cloud Build to automate the training and deployment of their machine learning models. The workflow is defined in cloudbuild.yaml and includes steps to: 1) Run a training job on AI Platform Training, 2) Build a custom prediction container, 3) Deploy the container to Cloud Run for serving. The deployment step fails intermittently with the error: 'Cloud Run service already exists and is not owned by the calling user.' You need to fix this so that deployments are reliable. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure the Cloud Build service account has the 'run.services.update' permission on the Cloud Run service.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Ensure the Cloud Build service account has the 'run.services.update' permission on the Cloud Run service.
Why this is correct
The error suggests a permissions issue; granting the correct role to the Cloud Build service account resolves it.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Delete the existing Cloud Run service manually before each build.
Why it's wrong here
Manual intervention is not scalable and defeats automation.
✗
Use 'gcloud run deploy --replace' in the build step to force replace the existing service.
Why it's wrong here
'--replace' flag does not exist; '--no-traffic' or update is needed.
✗
Use Cloud Run for Anthos instead of fully managed Cloud Run to avoid ownership issues.
Why it's wrong here
Ownership issues are due to permissions, not the platform type.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 PDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Operationalizing machine learning models — This question tests Operationalizing machine learning models — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Ensure the Cloud Build service account has the 'run.services.update' permission on the Cloud Run service.
What should I do if I get this PDE question wrong?
Identify which PDE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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