PCNE Configuring Network Services Practice Question
A company's application requires TLS termination at the load balancer, with backend instances in multiple regions running on Compute Engine. The backend instances must see the original client IP address. Which load balancer should be used?
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
✓
Global SSL Proxy load balancer
Global SSL Proxy LB terminates TLS (SSL offload) and adds the Proxy Protocol header to preserve client IP. Global HTTPS LB does not support Proxy Protocol. NLB does not terminate TLS. Internal LB is not external.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Global external HTTPS load balancer
Why it's wrong here
Global HTTPS LB does not support Proxy Protocol; it uses X-Forwarded-For, but the source IP of the proxy is seen unless using NEG with network endpoint groups with Proxy Protocol enabled, which is not standard.
- ✗
Regional external TCP/UDP Network Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
NLB preserves client IP but does not terminate TLS.
- ✓
Global SSL Proxy load balancer
Why this is correct
Global SSL Proxy terminates TLS and can use Proxy Protocol to preserve client IP to backend instances.
- ✗
Regional internal HTTP(S) load balancer
Why it's wrong here
Internal LB is not accessible from the internet.
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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.