Google PCA Manage and provision cloud infrastructure Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of manage and provision cloud infrastructure. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
A company has Compute Engine instances in us-east1-a and us-east1-b zones. They want to allow communication between these instances with minimal latency and no additional cost. What is the best networking approach?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a single VPC network that includes both zones.
A single VPC network spans all regions and zones, allowing instances in different zones (us-east1-a and us-east1-b) to communicate using internal IP addresses with low latency and no additional cost. This is because VPC networks provide flat, global networking by default, and traffic between zones within the same VPC uses Google's internal backbone without incurring egress charges.
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.
✗
Configure VPC Network Peering between two separate VPC networks.
Why it's wrong here
Peering is for connecting different VPCs; same VPC is simpler.
✓
Use a single VPC network that includes both zones.
Why this is correct
Instances in the same VPC network can communicate using internal IPs with low latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a new subnet in each zone and use Cloud NAT.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud NAT is for outbound internet access, not for internal communication.
✗
Set up a Cloud VPN between the zones.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud VPN is for hybrid connectivity, not intra-VPC communication.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may overcomplicate the solution by thinking they need separate networks or VPNs for zone-to-zone communication, when in fact a single VPC inherently supports flat, cost-free internal connectivity across zones.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a VPC network in GCP is a global resource, and subnets are regional; instances in the same VPC but different zones communicate via Google's internal backbone using RFC 1918 addresses, with traffic staying within the Google network and never traversing the public internet. This design leverages Google's Jupiter fabric for high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity, and there are no per-zone or per-region egress charges for internal IP traffic within the same VPC.
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 PCA question in full detail.
Manage and provision cloud infrastructure — This question tests Manage and provision cloud infrastructure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a single VPC network that includes both zones. — A single VPC network spans all regions and zones, allowing instances in different zones (us-east1-a and us-east1-b) to communicate using internal IP addresses with low latency and no additional cost. This is because VPC networks provide flat, global networking by default, and traffic between zones within the same VPC uses Google's internal backbone without incurring egress charges.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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