PCNE Configuring Network Services Practice Question
A company wants to serve global static content from a Cloud Storage bucket. They need low latency worldwide and SSL termination at the edge. Which solution should they choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that Cloud CDN alone can provide SSL termination at the edge, but in reality, Cloud CDN requires a load balancer (HTTP(S) or external) to terminate SSL and route traffic, as the bucket's native HTTPS endpoint does not offer edge-based SSL termination or global anycast IP.
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 a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket.
A global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket is the correct choice because it provides SSL termination at the edge (using Google Front Ends) and routes traffic over Google's global network to the nearest Cloud Storage bucket, ensuring low latency worldwide. The HTTP(S) load balancer supports global anycast IP addresses and integrates natively with Cloud Storage backends, making it ideal for serving static content globally.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use a TCP/UDP network load balancer with the bucket as backend.
Why it's wrong here
Network load balancers do not terminate SSL or serve HTTP content.
- ✓
Configure a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket.
Why this is correct
This provides global anycast IP, SSL termination, and integrates with Cloud CDN.
- ✗
Deploy an internal TCP/UDP load balancer with the bucket as backend.
Why it's wrong here
Internal load balancers are for private traffic within a VPC.
- ✗
Set up Cloud CDN directly on the bucket without a load balancer.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud CDN requires an external HTTP(S) load balancer.
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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.