HCP Terraform and Terraform Enterprise operations practice questions

What local execution mode keeps and drops

With local execution, Terraform runs on the workstation through the CLI-driven workflow and the workspace keeps only the state. HCP Terraform does not evaluate workspace variables or variable sets in this mode, so the engineers must supply region and the AWS credentials locally (for example in tfvars files and environment variables).

1. Identify the mode: local execution with the cloud block.
2. Recall what HCP Terraform still does in local mode: state storage and locking only.
3. Conclude that neither workspace variables nor variable sets reach the run.

Exam tip: Local execution: HCP keeps the state, you supply every variable.

What makes a resource billable in HCP Terraform

HCP Terraform defines a managed resource as a resource with mode = "managed" in a state file that HCP Terraform manages, billed from provisioning until destruction at the peak count per hour. Local execution changes where Terraform runs, not where state lives: the cloud block still stores state in the workspace, so the count is unchanged. Only destroying resources or removing them from HCP Terraform-managed state lowers it.

1. Recall the definition: managed-mode resources in HCP Terraform-managed state.
2. Note that local execution keeps state in the workspace.
3. Conclude that the execution location does not change the count.

Exam tip: The managed resource count follows the state, not the runner.

Exclusions from the managed resource count

Every resource with mode = "managed" in HCP Terraform-managed state counts, including logical resources from the random and time providers and resources inside modules. HCP Terraform excludes resources defined as null_resource or terraform_data, and data sources (mode = "data") are not managed resources at all.

1. Recall the rule: managed-mode resources in state count.
2. Recall the named exclusions: null_resource and terraform_data.
3. Treat random and time resources and module resources as ordinary managed resources.

Exam tip: Excluded: null_resource, terraform_data and data sources. Everything else managed counts.

Hourly peak billing for managed resources

HCP Terraform bills managed resources per hour, and the peak number of managed resources in a given hour determines that hour's cost. A partial hour is billed as a full hour, so the 300 short-lived resources raise the hour's peak to 1,500 even though they existed for 35 minutes.

1. Find the highest concurrent count during the hour: 1,200 + 300.
2. Recall that the hourly charge uses that peak.
3. Reject averaging and operation counting.

Exam tip: Each billing hour is charged at its peak managed resource count.

Where to see billable managed resources

The organization's Usage page reports managed resources, and on paid plans its billable resource table breaks the current totals down by project and workspace, with search, filters, sorting and CSV export. Cost estimation is about cloud spend, and audit trails and run history do not total resources.

1. Note the question: HCP Terraform billable resources by project and workspace.
2. Recall where usage is reported: the organization's Usage page.
3. Rule out tools that estimate cloud cost or record actions.

Exam tip: Billable resources by project or workspace: the Usage page's billable resource table.

Turning on cost estimation

HCP Terraform's cost estimation is disabled by default. An organization owner turns it on under the organization's Settings > Cost Estimation for all workspaces; runs then show estimated hourly and monthly costs as a phase between plan and apply, for supported AWS, Azure and Google Cloud resources.

1. Note the requirements: cost before apply, no custom integration.
2. Recall the built-in feature: cost estimation, disabled by default.
3. Enable it at the organization level.

Exam tip: Cost estimation is an organization setting, off until an owner enables it.