Explore key concepts of Google Compute Engine virtual machines with this quiz, covering topics like instance types, storage, networking, security, and scaling. Enhance your understanding of fundamental GCE features and best practices for deploying cloud-based VMs.
Which virtual machine family would be most suitable for a workload that requires high CPU performance, such as data analysis or scientific computing tasks?
Explanation: High-CPU machines are optimized for compute-intensive workloads and offer more vCPUs relative to memory, making them ideal for tasks like data analysis or scientific computing. General-purpose machines provide a balanced ratio of resources but are not specialized for high CPU needs. High-memory options are better suited for applications requiring large amounts of RAM, such as databases. Micro instances are more appropriate for light workloads like low-traffic websites, not demanding computations.
When configuring storage options for a virtual machine, which disk type should you select if you need data to persist beyond the VM's lifecycle, even after deletion or termination?
Explanation: Persistent disks are designed to retain data independently of the VM, ensuring your files remain available even if the VM is deleted or terminated. Local SSD and ephemeral disk both refer to storage that is physically attached to the VM and loses data when the VM is stopped or deleted. Temporary disk is not a standard term in this context and may refer to non-persistent storage, making persistent disk the only correct option.
If you want to limit SSH access to your virtual machine to only allow connections from a specific set of IP addresses, what should you configure?
Explanation: Firewall rules control incoming and outgoing network traffic, allowing you to restrict SSH access to certain IP ranges. IAM policies manage permissions but do not directly affect network connectivity. Editing metadata keys applies to instance metadata and is not related to network security. Changing the machine type adjusts resources for the VM but has no impact on network access filter settings.
Suppose you have multiple VMs and you want to apply a network rule to only a subset based on their function. Which feature helps you easily target those VMs?
Explanation: Network tags are specifically intended for grouping VMs to facilitate applying network rules like firewalls to targeted instances. Labels are useful for organizing VMs for billing or management but are not used for network rule application. Zones refer to physical locations and are unrelated to network configurations. Projects are broader collections that may contain many unrelated resources, making them too general for fine-grained network targeting.
You have a group of VMs running a web application. To automatically adjust the number of running instances based on incoming traffic, which feature should you enable?
Explanation: Auto-scaling dynamically increases or decreases the number of VM instances based on demand, ensuring efficient resource use for web applications. Startup scripts automate initial setup of VMs but do not manage scaling. Load balancing distributes traffic among VMs but does not adjust group size on its own. Private IPs control network addressing and are unrelated to scaling behaviors.