- A
Use Cloud NAT for outbound internet and enable Private Google Access on the subnet.
Cloud NAT allows outbound internet without external IPs; Private Google Access allows access to Google APIs via internal IPs.
- B
Assign external IPs to all instances and configure firewall rules to block inbound traffic.
Why wrong: External IPs still expose the instances to the internet; inbound rules can be blocked but outbound access is allowed.
- C
Configure a VPN tunnel to an on-premises proxy server for internet access.
Why wrong: Unnecessary and may introduce latency; Cloud NAT is native.
- D
Use Cloud NAT for outbound internet and use external IPs for Google API access.
Why wrong: Private Google Access is simpler and more secure for Google API access without external IPs.
Google PCA Manage and provision cloud infrastructure Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of manage and provision cloud infrastructure. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 that need to access the internet for updates but should not be reachable from the internet. They also need to access Google APIs and services like Cloud Storage. Which configuration meets these requirements?
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
Use Cloud NAT for outbound internet and enable Private Google Access on the subnet.
Cloud NAT provides outbound internet connectivity for instances without external IPs, while Private Google Access allows those same instances to reach Google APIs and services (like Cloud Storage) using internal IPs via the subnet's default route. This combination ensures instances can initiate outbound connections to the internet and Google services but remain unreachable from the internet, meeting both security and functional requirements.
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.
- ✓
Use Cloud NAT for outbound internet and enable Private Google Access on the subnet.
- ✗
Assign external IPs to all instances and configure firewall rules to block inbound traffic.
Why it's wrong here
External IPs still expose the instances to the internet; inbound rules can be blocked but outbound access is allowed.
- ✗
Configure a VPN tunnel to an on-premises proxy server for internet access.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary and may introduce latency; Cloud NAT is native.
- ✗
Use Cloud NAT for outbound internet and use external IPs for Google API access.
Why it's wrong here
Private Google Access is simpler and more secure for Google API access without external IPs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think Cloud NAT alone is sufficient for Google API access, but they miss that Private Google Access must be explicitly enabled on the subnet for instances without external IPs to reach Google APIs and services.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud NAT uses and manages port address translation (PAT) to allow instances without external IPs to send outbound traffic to the internet, translating their internal IPs to a shared external IP. Private Google Access works by enabling a subnet-level configuration that allows instances to reach Google APIs and services via the default internet gateway (using RFC 1918 addresses) without needing an external IP, leveraging Google's internal backbone for connectivity. A real-world scenario is a data processing pipeline that pulls updates from public repositories and writes results to Cloud Storage, where Cloud NAT handles the update traffic and Private Google Access handles the API calls, all while keeping instances isolated from inbound internet traffic.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Manage and provision cloud infrastructure — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Manage and provision cloud infrastructure practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCA questions
509 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Cloud Architect study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCA practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCA practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Design and plan a cloud solution architecture practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Design and plan a cloud solution architecture.
Manage and provision cloud infrastructure practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Manage and provision cloud infrastructure.
Design for security and compliance practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Design for security and compliance.
Analyze and optimize technical and business processes practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Analyze and optimize technical and business processes.
Manage implementation of cloud architecture practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Manage implementation of cloud architecture.
Ensure solution and operations reliability practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to Ensure solution and operations reliability.
PCA fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to PCA fundamentals.
PCA scenario practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to PCA scenario.
PCA troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCA questions linked to PCA troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCA practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
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 Cloud NAT for outbound internet and enable Private Google Access on the subnet. — Cloud NAT provides outbound internet connectivity for instances without external IPs, while Private Google Access allows those same instances to reach Google APIs and services (like Cloud Storage) using internal IPs via the subnet's default route. This combination ensures instances can initiate outbound connections to the internet and Google services but remain unreachable from the internet, meeting both security and functional requirements.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This PCA 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 PCA exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.