- A
Ensure that the VPC peering is established and that the subnet ranges do not overlap.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Ping works, so peering is established and ranges do not overlap.
- B
Configure Cloud NAT in Project B to enable outbound connections.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Cloud NAT is for outbound internet access, not for inbound connectivity to a database.
- C
Configure custom routes export on the VPC peering connection in the database project (Project A).
Correct: Custom routes may need to be exported so that the database's subnet route is visible to the peered VPC. This allows the application to connect on the correct port.
- D
Set up a Cloud VPN tunnel between the two projects instead.
Why wrong: Incorrect: VPC peering works correctly (ping), so VPN is unnecessary and more complex.
Google PCA Manage implementation of cloud architecture Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of manage implementation of cloud architecture. 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.
An organization has two Google Cloud projects: Project A hosts a Compute Engine instance with a MySQL database, and Project B hosts an application that needs to connect to the database. The network team set up VPC peering between the two VPCs. The application cannot connect to the database on port 3306. The database instance has a private IP. The network team has verified that firewall rules in both VPCs allow traffic from Project B's subnets to the database IP on port 3306. Ping from the application instance to the database IP succeeds. What should the architect do to resolve the connectivity issue?
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
Configure custom routes export on the VPC peering connection in the database project (Project A).
Option C is correct because VPC peering does not automatically exchange custom static routes unless route export is explicitly configured. Since the database in Project A has a private IP, the application in Project B needs a route to that IP via the peering connection. By enabling custom routes export on the peering connection in Project A, the route to the database subnet is advertised to Project B, allowing the application to reach the database on port 3306.
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.
- ✗
Ensure that the VPC peering is established and that the subnet ranges do not overlap.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Ping works, so peering is established and ranges do not overlap.
- ✗
Configure Cloud NAT in Project B to enable outbound connections.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Cloud NAT is for outbound internet access, not for inbound connectivity to a database.
- ✓
Configure custom routes export on the VPC peering connection in the database project (Project A).
Why this is correct
Correct: Custom routes may need to be exported so that the database's subnet route is visible to the peered VPC. This allows the application to connect on the correct port.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Set up a Cloud VPN tunnel between the two projects instead.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: VPC peering works correctly (ping), so VPN is unnecessary and more complex.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume VPC peering automatically exchanges all routes, but Google Cloud requires explicit export of custom routes, and the ping success misleads them into thinking routing is fully functional when only ICMP may be using a different path.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC peering uses dynamic route exchange via the Google Cloud network fabric. By default, only subnet routes are exchanged; custom static routes (e.g., for specific IP ranges) are not exported unless the 'export custom routes' flag is enabled on the peering connection. This is controlled per peering direction, so in this case, Project A must export its custom routes to Project B. The ping success indicates ICMP is allowed, but TCP port 3306 fails because the return traffic from the database to the application may lack a route, or the application's packets are not being forwarded due to missing route propagation.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Manage implementation of cloud architecture — This question tests Manage implementation of cloud architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure custom routes export on the VPC peering connection in the database project (Project A). — Option C is correct because VPC peering does not automatically exchange custom static routes unless route export is explicitly configured. Since the database in Project A has a private IP, the application in Project B needs a route to that IP via the peering connection. By enabling custom routes export on the peering connection in Project A, the route to the database subnet is advertised to Project B, allowing the application to reach the database on port 3306.
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.
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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.
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