- A
Use a larger machine type to handle more requests per replica.
Why wrong: This may reduce the number of replicas needed but does not address scaling latency.
- B
Reduce the target CPU utilization to trigger scaling earlier.
Why wrong: This may cause premature scaling but does not eliminate cold start delays.
- C
Increase the maximum number of replicas.
Why wrong: This allows more scaling but does not reduce the time to start new replicas.
- D
Increase the minimum number of replicas to maintain a larger buffer.
Higher min replicas reduce the time to scale up during spikes.
Question 778 of 1,000
PMLE Serving and Scaling Models Practice Question
This PMLE practice question tests your understanding of serving and scaling models. 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.
You have a Vertex AI endpoint with autoscaling enabled. You notice that during traffic spikes, the endpoint takes a long time to scale up, causing prediction errors. What is the most effective solution?
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
✓
Increase the minimum number of replicas to maintain a larger buffer.
Setting higher min replicas ensures a baseline of compute always available to absorb traffic spikes, reducing cold start latency. Increasing max replicas allows scaling higher but does not address the initial delay.
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 a larger machine type to handle more requests per replica.
Why it's wrong here
This may reduce the number of replicas needed but does not address scaling latency.
- ✗
Reduce the target CPU utilization to trigger scaling earlier.
Why it's wrong here
This may cause premature scaling but does not eliminate cold start delays.
- ✗
Increase the maximum number of replicas.
Why it's wrong here
This allows more scaling but does not reduce the time to start new replicas.
- ✓
Increase the minimum number of replicas to maintain a larger buffer.
Why this is correct
Higher min replicas reduce the time to scale up during spikes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PMLE 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.
- →
Serving and Scaling Models — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Serving and Scaling Models practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PMLE questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PMLE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PMLE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Automating and Orchestrating ML Pipelines practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Automating and Orchestrating ML Pipelines.
Collaborating Within and Across Teams to Manage Data and Models practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Collaborating Within and Across Teams to Manage Data and Models.
Serving and Scaling Models practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Serving and Scaling Models.
Monitoring ML Solutions practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Monitoring ML Solutions.
Architecting Low-Code ML Solutions practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Architecting Low-Code ML Solutions.
Scaling Prototypes into ML Models practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Scaling Prototypes into ML Models.
Collaborating to manage data and models practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Collaborating to manage data and models.
Solving business challenges with ML practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to Solving business challenges with ML.
PMLE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to PMLE fundamentals.
PMLE scenario practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to PMLE scenario.
PMLE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PMLE questions linked to PMLE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PMLE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMLE question test?
Serving and Scaling Models — This question tests Serving and Scaling Models — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the minimum number of replicas to maintain a larger buffer. — Setting higher min replicas ensures a baseline of compute always available to absorb traffic spikes, reducing cold start latency. Increasing max replicas allows scaling higher but does not address the initial delay.
What should I do if I get this PMLE question wrong?
Identify which PMLE 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.
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 →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PMLE 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 PMLE 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.