- A
The Service is using an incorrect port mapping.
Why wrong: Incorrect port mapping affects connectivity but not the IP address assignment.
- B
The pod's readiness probe is failing.
Why wrong: Readiness probes affect traffic routing, not IP assignment.
- C
The project's quota for external IP addresses has been exhausted.
Exhausted quota is a common cause for pending external IPs.
- D
The cluster is using a regional cluster type.
Why wrong: Regional clusters can still have external IPs assigned.
Question 321 of 999
GKE LoadBalancer IP Pending Due to Quota
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of deploying applications. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is deploying a containerized application on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). The deployment uses a Service of type LoadBalancer. After creating the Service, the external IP remains pending for several minutes. The team has verified that the cluster has sufficient node capacity and that the pod is running. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Quick Answer
The answer is a project-level quota exhaustion for external IP addresses. When a GKE LoadBalancer service shows a pending external IP, even with sufficient node capacity and running pods, the most likely cause is that the project has reached its regional or global limit for static or ephemeral external IPs. Google Cloud enforces these quotas to prevent resource overconsumption, and the LoadBalancer controller cannot provision a new IP until quota is freed or increased. On the Google Professional Cloud Developer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of GKE networking and resource management, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly blame readiness probes or cluster configuration. A common trap is assuming the issue is with the pod or service configuration, but the pending IP is a clear quota signal. Memory tip: “Pending IP? Check the quota—not the pod.”
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
✓
The project's quota for external IP addresses has been exhausted.
Option C is correct because when a Service of type LoadBalancer is created in GKE, it provisions an external IP address from the project's quota. If the quota for external IP addresses is exhausted, the IP assignment remains pending until additional quota is requested or released. The cluster having sufficient node capacity and the pod running confirms that the issue is not resource-related but rather a cloud-level quota limitation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The Service is using an incorrect port mapping.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect port mapping affects connectivity but not the IP address assignment.
- ✗
The pod's readiness probe is failing.
Why it's wrong here
Readiness probes affect traffic routing, not IP assignment.
- ✓
The project's quota for external IP addresses has been exhausted.
Why this is correct
Exhausted quota is a common cause for pending external IPs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The cluster is using a regional cluster type.
Why it's wrong here
Regional clusters can still have external IPs assigned.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common misconception when a GKE LoadBalancer's external IP is pending is that it's due to cluster resource issues (node capacity or pod readiness), but it is often a Google Cloud project quota limitation for external IP addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
GKE uses the Kubernetes cloud-controller-manager to interact with the Google Cloud API to create a TCP/UDP load balancer and assign a regional external IP address. The external IP is drawn from the project's regional quota for 'External IP Addresses' (default 8 per region). When the quota is exhausted, the API call fails silently, leaving the Service's EXTERNAL-IP in 'pending' state indefinitely until quota is increased or unused IPs are released. This is distinct from node capacity or pod health issues.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCD question test?
Deploying applications — This question tests Deploying applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The project's quota for external IP addresses has been exhausted. — Option C is correct because when a Service of type LoadBalancer is created in GKE, it provisions an external IP address from the project's quota. If the quota for external IP addresses is exhausted, the IP assignment remains pending until additional quota is requested or released. The cluster having sufficient node capacity and the pod running confirms that the issue is not resource-related but rather a cloud-level quota limitation.
What should I do if I get this PCD question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCD 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 PCD exam.
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