Google PCA Design and plan a cloud solution architecture Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of design and plan a cloud solution architecture. 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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Instances can access Google APIs and services without requiring an external IP address.
The `--enable-private-ip-google-access` flag allows VM instances in a subnet to reach Google APIs and services (such as Cloud Storage, BigQuery, and Cloud Pub/Sub) using only their internal (private) IP addresses, without needing an external IP address. This works by routing traffic through Google's internal network to the Google Front End (GFE), bypassing the public internet.
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.
✗
Instances can use direct peering to connect to on-premises networks.
Why it's wrong here
Direct peering is a separate feature; Private Google Access does not enable on-premises connectivity.
✗
Instances automatically receive internal DNS names for Google services.
Why it's wrong here
Internal DNS resolution is separate; Private Google Access only provides network route.
✓
Instances can access Google APIs and services without requiring an external IP address.
Why this is correct
This is the purpose of Private Google Access: it enables private IP VMs to reach Google services via the Google network.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Instances can route traffic to the internet through a Cloud NAT gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Private Google Access does not provide outbound internet access; it only provides access to Google APIs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between private Google access (which only covers Google APIs and services) and Cloud NAT (which provides outbound internet access for private instances), leading candidates to confuse the two or assume private Google access enables general internet connectivity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, when private Google access is enabled on a subnet, the VPC automatically adds a private route for the IP range `199.36.153.4/30` (the Google API VIP) and uses the default internet gateway as the next hop, but traffic is sent over Google's private backbone rather than the public internet. This is critical for instances that must remain private (no external IP) for security compliance, such as data processing workloads that need to call Cloud Storage or BigQuery APIs without exposing a public endpoint.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PCA question in full detail.
Design and plan a cloud solution architecture — This question tests Design and plan a cloud solution architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Instances can access Google APIs and services without requiring an external IP address. — The `--enable-private-ip-google-access` flag allows VM instances in a subnet to reach Google APIs and services (such as Cloud Storage, BigQuery, and Cloud Pub/Sub) using only their internal (private) IP addresses, without needing an external IP address. This works by routing traffic through Google's internal network to the Google Front End (GFE), bypassing the public internet.
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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Question Discussion
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