Google Associate Cloud EngineerPlanning and configuring a cloud solutionMedium
A research institution needs to process a massive amount of genomic data (petabytes) for a scientific breakthrough. The processing jobs are fault-tolerant, can be interrupted, and do not require persistent storage for the compute instances themselves. The institution wants to minimize compute costs. Which Compute Engine VM type is most suitable for this scenario?
- ACustom VMs
- BStandard VMs
- CPreemptible VMs
- DSole-Tenant VMs
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Preemptible VMs
Preemptible VMs are highly cost-effective for fault-tolerant workloads that can withstand interruptions because they run at a significantly lower price than standard VMs, aligning with the requirement to minimize compute costs for interruptible jobs.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Custom VMs allow tailored configurations but don't inherently offer cost savings for interruptible workloads.
- B. Standard VMs are more expensive and not necessary for interruptible, fault-tolerant workloads.
- D. Sole-Tenant VMs provide dedicated hardware for compliance or licensing, which is not relevant to minimizing costs for interruptible jobs.
Compute Engine Preemptible VMs
Preemptible VMs are highly affordable, short-lived Compute Engine instances that can be terminated by Google Cloud if resources are needed elsewhere. They are ideal for fault-tolerant, batch, or stateless workloads.
- Up to 80% cheaper than standard VMs
- Instances can be preempted after 24 hours or earlier
- Suitable for fault-tolerant batch processing
Memory trick: Preemptible: Pay less, be flexible, for interruptible jobs.