PCNE Implementing VPC Instances Practice Question
A company has Compute Engine instances without external IPs in a VPC. They need to reach Google APIs such as Cloud Storage and BigQuery. Which configuration will meet this requirement with minimal cost and operational overhead?
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
✓
Configure the subnet to have Private Google Access enabled. Ensure the instances have the appropriate DNS resolution for private.googleapis.com.
Private Google Access enables instances without external IPs to reach Google APIs using internal IPs via the default internet gateway or VPC peering. Configuring a Private Google Access enabled subnet is the simplest and cheapest option, as it does not require NAT or additional instances.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure the subnet to have Private Google Access enabled. Ensure the instances have the appropriate DNS resolution for private.googleapis.com.
Why this is correct
This enables instances to reach Google APIs via internal IPs without needing external IPs or NAT.
- ✗
Set up a Squid proxy on a bastion host with an external IP and route all API traffic through it.
Why it's wrong here
This is complex and unnecessary; Private Google Access is designed for this scenario.
- ✗
Create a Cloud NAT gateway in the same region and attach it to the VPC.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud NAT is used for outbound internet access, not specifically for Google API access without external IPs. Private Google Access is the correct method.
- ✗
Assign external IPs to the instances and create firewall rules to allow traffic to Google APIs.
Why it's wrong here
This defeats the requirement of not having external IPs and may introduce security risks.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.