PCSE Practice Question: Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment
An organization uses Google Workspace for email and collaboration. They want to allow employees to sign in to a custom web application using their Google Workspace credentials. The application runs on Compute Engine and uses a PostgreSQL database. Which identity solution should they implement?
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
✓
Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) with OIDC.
IAP with OIDC is the correct approach. IAP integrates with Google identity (including Google Workspace) and provides authentication and authorization for web applications. OIDC is the protocol used to verify identity. SAML is for SSO but IAP uses OIDC. Firebase Auth is for consumer apps. Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) is specifically designed for this use case.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Workload Identity Federation.
Why it's wrong here
Workload Identity Federation is for non-human workloads, not user authentication.
- ✓
Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) with OIDC.
Why this is correct
IAP provides authentication using Google identity and works with OIDC for web apps.
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SAML 2.0 federation with the web app.
Why it's wrong here
SAML is used for SSO but IAP natively supports OIDC, not SAML for web apps.
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Firebase Authentication with Google provider.
Why it's wrong here
Firebase Auth is for consumer apps, not enterprise Google Workspace identity.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.