Google ACE Configuring Access and Security Practice Question
An engineer needs to allow a set of Compute Engine instances (with tag 'web-server') to receive traffic on port 443 from the internet. The VPC has a default network with default firewall rules. Which TWO actions should the engineer take? (Choose TWO)
⚠ Common exam trap
ACE often tests the need to both create a firewall rule with the correct target tag and ensure instances have that tag, so candidates may forget to apply the tag or choose the wrong tag.
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
✓
Create a firewall rule allowing ingress from 0.0.0.0/0 on port 443 with target tag 'web-server' and priority 1000.
Option D is correct because a VPC firewall rule must explicitly match the instances it protects via a target tag, so creating an ingress rule from 0.0.0.0/0 on tcp:443 with target tag 'web-server' and a priority (1000) permits the desired HTTPS traffic to exactly those instances. Option E is correct because firewall target tags only apply to instances that actually carry the matching network tag, so the Compute Engine instances must have the 'web-server' tag applied for the rule to take effect. Option A is wrong because its target tag 'https-server' does not match the instances tagged 'web-server', so the rule would not apply to them. Option B is wrong because the default network's default-allow-https rule targets 'https-server', and modifying it to 'web-server' would affect all instances with that tag rather than cleanly scoping the change, and it is not the required action here. Option C is wrong because deleting the default-allow-https rule is unnecessary and would remove existing HTTPS access for instances tagged 'https-server' without solving the tagging mismatch.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a firewall rule allowing ingress from 0.0.0.0/0 on port 443 with target tag 'https-server' and priority 1000.
Why it's wrong here
The rule targets tag 'https-server', but the instances carry tag 'web-server', so it never matches them. It is tempting because tagging firewall targets is the normal mechanism, and 'https-server' is the default network's own preconfigured tag for port 443.
- ✗
Modify the default-allow-https rule to change the target tag to 'web-server'.
Why it's wrong here
Modifying default-allow-https to target tag web-server would remove https access from instances tagged http-server, breaking existing workloads rather than adding the required access. It is tempting because editing an existing rule appears quicker, but the engineer should create a new ingress rule for tag web-server on tcp:443.
- ✗
Delete the default-allow-https rule to avoid conflicts.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting default-allow-https removes the existing rule permitting tcp:443 to instances tagged http-server, but the new rule must still be created for tag web-server; deletion alone grants nothing and is unnecessary. It is tempting to avoid overlapping rules, yet GCP evaluates rules independently without conflict.
- ✓
Create a firewall rule allowing ingress from 0.0.0.0/0 on port 443 with target tag 'web-server' and priority 1000.
Why this is correct
Default network rules permit internal traffic and deny most external ingress, so an explicit ingress rule is required. Specifying 0.0.0.0/0 as source, port 443, target tag 'web-server' and priority 1000 permits internet HTTPS traffic to precisely those tagged instances, satisfying the stated requirement.
- ✓
Ensure that instances have the 'web-server' network tag applied.
Why this is correct
Firewall rules with a target tag apply only to instances carrying that tag. Applying 'web-server' to the Compute Engine instances ensures the new ingress rule actually matches them, which is the mechanism binding the rule to the intended targets and satisfying the scenario's tagging constraint.
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Key term
Firewall rule
A firewall rule is a set of conditions that tells a firewall which network traffic to allow or block based on attributes like source, destination, port, and protocol.
Key term
Firewall
A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules to protect trusted internal networks from untrusted external networks.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Google Cloud exam blueprint
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