Google PCA Manage and provision cloud infrastructure Practice Question
A startup is deploying a new web application on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). They want to expose the application to the internet with a single global IP address and automatically route users to the closest regional cluster. They also want to minimize operational overhead. Which GKE feature should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a Service of type LoadBalancer provides a global IP, when it actually creates a regional load balancer, or that GKE Gateway with a regional class is global.
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
✓
GKE Ingress with a global external Application Load Balancer
GKE Ingress automatically provisions a global external Application Load Balancer, providing a single global IP and intelligent routing to the closest regional backends. It is fully integrated with GKE and requires minimal operational effort. The other options either provide regional load balancing or require manual configuration, which does not meet the requirement for minimal overhead and global reach.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
GKE Ingress with a global external Application Load Balancer
Why this is correct
GKE Ingress automatically creates a global external Application Load Balancer when you create an Ingress resource. This provides a single global IP address and routes traffic to the closest backend service across multiple regional clusters. It integrates with GKE and requires minimal operational overhead, as the load balancer is managed by GKE. This meets the requirement for global exposure and low management effort.
- ✗
GKE Gateway with a regional gateway class
Why it's wrong here
GKE Gateway with a regional gateway class creates a regional load balancer, not a global one. It is part of the Gateway API and provides more advanced traffic management, but it does not offer a single global IP or automatic global routing by default. To achieve global routing, you would need a global gateway class, which is not specified here. This option does not meet the global requirement.
- ✗
GKE Network Endpoint Groups (NEGs) with a standalone global load balancer
Why it's wrong here
Using NEGs with a standalone global load balancer is a valid approach, but it requires manual creation and configuration of the load balancer, increasing operational overhead. GKE Ingress automates this process. The question asks for minimal operational overhead, so manually setting up a global load balancer is not the best choice. NEGs are often used with Ingress, but the standalone approach is more complex.
- ✗
GKE Service of type LoadBalancer with a regional external passthrough Network Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
A Service of type LoadBalancer creates a regional external passthrough Network Load Balancer, which provides a regional IP address, not a global one. It does not automatically route users to the closest region. While it is simple to set up, it does not meet the requirement for a single global IP and global routing. This would require additional configuration for multi-region.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Virtual Machine Instances in Compute Engine
Key term
GKE
GKE is Google's managed Kubernetes service that automates deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications in the cloud.
Key term
Google Kubernetes Engine
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) is a managed Kubernetes service on Google Cloud that lets you deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications without having to operate the underlying cluster control plane.
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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
This PCA practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PCA exam.