Google ACE Configuring access and security Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access and security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You are configuring a VPC with multiple subnets. You need to allow traffic from the internet to a specific instance on port 80, but only if the traffic originates from a set of known IP addresses. Which three resources must be configured? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A load balancer with Cloud Armor.
Option A is correct because Cloud Armor is a web application firewall that can be attached to a load balancer to allow or deny traffic based on IP address ranges. This enables you to restrict inbound HTTP traffic on port 80 to only the known IP addresses, while the load balancer distributes traffic to the instance. Without Cloud Armor, a load balancer alone cannot filter by source IP; it relies on backend firewall rules or Cloud Armor policies for such granular access control.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
A load balancer with Cloud Armor.
Why this is correct
Cloud Armor can provide IP whitelisting and DDoS protection at the load balancer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A route to the internet gateway.
Why it's wrong here
The default route to the internet gateway is usually already present and not a special configuration.
✓
A reserved external IP address for the instance.
Why this is correct
A reserved IP ensures the instance is reachable from the internet and the firewall rule applies correctly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A Cloud Router.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Router is used for dynamic routing in VPN or interconnect, not for internet traffic filtering.
✓
A firewall rule allowing ingress from the IP range to the instance on port 80.
Why this is correct
Firewall rules control network access at the VPC level.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that a route to the internet gateway alone is sufficient to control inbound traffic, but routes only define the path, not the access policy; you must explicitly configure firewall rules or Cloud Armor to restrict source IPs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud Armor security policies are evaluated at the Google Cloud load balancer edge before traffic reaches the backend instance, allowing you to enforce IP allowlists or deny lists without additional proxy overhead. The load balancer’s external IP address is the point of ingress, and the reserved external IP for the instance (Option C) ensures that the instance has a stable, static IP that can be used in firewall rules or Cloud Armor policies, though in this architecture the load balancer typically fronts the instance. Firewall rules (Option E) operate at the VPC network level and can restrict traffic by source IP ranges, but they apply after the load balancer if one is used; combining a load balancer with Cloud Armor and a firewall rule provides defense-in-depth.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this ACE question in full detail.
Configuring access and security — This question tests Configuring access and security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A load balancer with Cloud Armor. — Option A is correct because Cloud Armor is a web application firewall that can be attached to a load balancer to allow or deny traffic based on IP address ranges. This enables you to restrict inbound HTTP traffic on port 80 to only the known IP addresses, while the load balancer distributes traffic to the instance. Without Cloud Armor, a load balancer alone cannot filter by source IP; it relies on backend firewall rules or Cloud Armor policies for such granular access control.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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