PCSE Practice Question: Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment
An organization wants to allow users to authenticate to Google Cloud using their existing Active Directory credentials via SAML 2.0. Which Google Cloud identity service should they configure?
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
Cloud Identity or Google Workspace can be configured as a SAML 2.0 service provider (or identity provider) to federate with an external IdP like Active Directory. For SAML 2.0 SSO, Cloud Identity supports integration with external IdPs. Cloud Directory Sync syncs users but doesn't handle SSO. IAP is for access control, not identity federation.
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
For non-human workloads, not user authentication.
- ✗
Identity-Aware Proxy
Why it's wrong here
Controls access to applications, not identity federation.
- ✓
Cloud Identity
Why this is correct
Supports SAML 2.0 federation with an external IdP.
- ✗
Cloud Directory Sync
Why it's wrong here
Syncs user data, but does not provide SAML SSO.
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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.