- A
None; Cloud NAT is not required for internet access.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Cloud NAT is required for private VMs without external IPs to access the internet. Without it, they would have no outbound connectivity.
- B
One Cloud NAT gateway per subnet.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Cloud NAT is regional, not per subnet. A single regional gateway serves all subnets within that region.
- C
Two Cloud NAT gateways, one per region.
Correct. One Cloud NAT gateway is needed per region (us-central1 and europe-west1), so two gateways are required.
- D
One Cloud NAT gateway covering both regions.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Cloud NAT is regional, not global, so a single gateway cannot cover both regions.
Question 358 of 1,000
How Many Cloud NAT Gateways Are Needed for a Multi-Region VPC? | Google PCNE
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing a virtual private cloud. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: cloud NAT. 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 has a VPC with subnets in us-central1 and europe-west1. They want to deploy a Cloud NAT to allow VMs in both regions to access the internet. How many Cloud NAT gateways are needed?
Quick Answer
The answer is two Cloud NAT gateways, one per region. This is correct because Cloud NAT is a regional resource, not a global one; each gateway is configured within a specific region and only provides outbound internet access to VMs in that region’s subnets. Since the VPC spans us-central1 and europe-west1, a separate Cloud NAT gateway must be deployed in each region to cover both sets of VMs. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of Cloud NAT’s regional scope—a common trap is assuming a single gateway can serve multiple regions, but Cloud NAT does not support cross-region functionality. A helpful memory tip: think of Cloud NAT as a regional “exit door”—each region needs its own door for VMs to reach the internet.
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
✓
Two Cloud NAT gateways, one per region.
Cloud NAT is a regional resource; each region requires its own Cloud NAT gateway. A single gateway cannot cover multiple regions because Cloud NAT does not support global scope. For VMs in us-central1 and europe-west1 to access the internet, you need one Cloud NAT gateway per region, totaling two. Therefore, option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because Cloud NAT is necessary for private VMs to reach the internet without external IP addresses. Option B is incorrect because Cloud NAT operates at the region level, not per subnet; a regional gateway serves all subnets in that region. Option D is incorrect because Cloud NAT is regional, not global.
Key principle: Cloud NAT
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
None; Cloud NAT is not required for internet access.
- ✗
One Cloud NAT gateway per subnet.
- ✓
Two Cloud NAT gateways, one per region.
- ✗
One Cloud NAT gateway covering both regions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often mistakenly believe Cloud NAT is global or per-subnet. Remember: Cloud NAT is regional and one gateway covers all subnets in a region.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Cloud NAT
- Regional scope
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
Cloud NAT
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review cloud NAT, then practise related PCNE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNE question test?
Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud — This question tests Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud — Cloud NAT.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Two Cloud NAT gateways, one per region. — Cloud NAT is a regional resource; each region requires its own Cloud NAT gateway. A single gateway cannot cover multiple regions because Cloud NAT does not support global scope. For VMs in us-central1 and europe-west1 to access the internet, you need one Cloud NAT gateway per region, totaling two. Therefore, option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because Cloud NAT is necessary for private VMs to reach the internet without external IP addresses. Option B is incorrect because Cloud NAT operates at the region level, not per subnet; a regional gateway serves all subnets in that region. Option D is incorrect because Cloud NAT is regional, not global.
What should I do if I get this PCNE question wrong?
Review cloud NAT, then practise related PCNE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cloud NAT
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PCNE 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 PCNE exam.
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