Question

Difficulty: MediumEstimating GCP Costs with the Pricing Calculator

A solutions architect is configuring cost estimates in the Google Cloud Pricing Calculator for a hybrid enterprise application. The architecture consists of long-running database servers, batch worker nodes running fault-tolerant tasks, and long-term application logs. Which of the following recommendations correctly describe how to model these components accurately in the Pricing Calculator? (Select TWO.)

  1. Apply Committed Use Discounts (CUDs) for the backend database servers to reflect guaranteed baseline workload savings over a 1-year or 3-year commitment term.Answer
  2. Calculate Cloud Storage estimates by factoring in data retrieval costs and network egress alongside raw storage volume based on expected log access patterns.Answer
  3. C
    Include Sustained Use Discounts (SUDs) on top of the discounted rate when modeling Spot VMs for the batch worker nodes.
  4. D
    Select the Archive storage class for active logs accessed on a daily basis to achieve the lowest overall monthly cost calculation.

Answer

The correct recommendations are to apply Committed Use Discounts (CUDs) for predictable backend database instances and to factor in data retrieval and egress fees alongside raw storage volume for Cloud Storage estimates.
Applying Committed Use Discounts (CUDs) is appropriate for steady-state workloads such as database instances to accurately reflect 1-year or 3-year term savings. Additionally, Cloud Storage pricing calculations must account for data retrieval and network egress charges in addition to raw capacity.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify compute discounting rules in the Pricing Calculator
Database servers run continuously and qualify for Committed Use Discounts (CUDs) for 1-year or 3-year commitments. Spot VMs are priced at a fixed discounted rate and cannot combine with Sustained Use Discounts (SUDs).
Understanding which discount mechanisms apply to baseline versus transient workloads is essential for accurate calculator inputs.
2
Analyze storage tiering and operational cost factors
Cloud Storage pricing depends on storage class, data retrieval fees, operation counts, and network egress. Archive storage is designed for data accessed less than once a year; accessing it daily incurs heavy retrieval penalties.
Total cost of ownership for storage involves operational and network traffic costs in addition to raw gigabyte-month rates.

Key Concept

Accurate GCP cost estimation using the Google Cloud Pricing Calculator requires matching steady-state compute workloads with Committed Use Discounts and considering operational data retrieval/egress fees alongside storage class tiers.
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