- A
Create a firewall rule allowing outbound traffic to Artifact Registry IP ranges.
Why wrong: With Private Google Access, traffic goes through internal IPs; no explicit firewall rule needed for Google APIs.
- B
Set up VPC Network Peering with the Artifact Registry service.
Why wrong: Artifact Registry is a Google API; Private Google Access or Cloud NAT is used, not peering.
- C
Configure Cloud NAT for the GKE cluster.
Why wrong: Cloud NAT is an alternative but not required if Private Google Access is enabled.
- D
Enable Private Google Access on the subnet where the GKE nodes are deployed.
Private Google Access allows nodes without external IPs to reach Google APIs.
- E
Grant the Artifact Registry Reader role to the GKE service account.
IAM permissions are needed to allow the node to pull images.
Google PCA Manage and provision cloud infrastructure Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of manage and provision cloud infrastructure. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO actions are required to allow a private GKE cluster to pull container images from Artifact Registry in the same project?
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
Enable Private Google Access on the subnet where the GKE nodes are deployed.
Option D is correct because Private Google Access enables GKE nodes with only internal IP addresses to reach Google APIs and services, including Artifact Registry, over Google's private network rather than the public internet. Option E is correct because the GKE node's service account must have the Artifact Registry Reader role (roles/artifactregistry.reader) to authenticate and pull container images from the registry.
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.
- ✗
Create a firewall rule allowing outbound traffic to Artifact Registry IP ranges.
- ✗
Set up VPC Network Peering with the Artifact Registry service.
Why it's wrong here
Artifact Registry is a Google API; Private Google Access or Cloud NAT is used, not peering.
- ✗
Configure Cloud NAT for the GKE cluster.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud NAT is an alternative but not required if Private Google Access is enabled.
- ✓
Enable Private Google Access on the subnet where the GKE nodes are deployed.
Why this is correct
Private Google Access allows nodes without external IPs to reach Google APIs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Grant the Artifact Registry Reader role to the GKE service account.
Why this is correct
IAM permissions are needed to allow the node to pull images.
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 Cloud NAT is required for private clusters to access Google APIs, but Private Google Access is the correct mechanism for reaching Google-managed services like Artifact Registry without public IPs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Private Google Access works by routing traffic to Google APIs through the VPC's default internet gateway using a 0.0.0.0/0 route with a next hop of 'default internet gateway', but the traffic stays within Google's network. The GKE service account must have the Artifact Registry Reader role because Artifact Registry uses IAM permissions to authorize image pulls, and without this role, the kubelet will fail with authentication errors when attempting to pull images. In a private cluster, nodes have only internal IP addresses, so without Private Google Access, they cannot reach the external Artifact Registry API 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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Enable Private Google Access on the subnet where the GKE nodes are deployed. — Option D is correct because Private Google Access enables GKE nodes with only internal IP addresses to reach Google APIs and services, including Artifact Registry, over Google's private network rather than the public internet. Option E is correct because the GKE node's service account must have the Artifact Registry Reader role (roles/artifactregistry.reader) to authenticate and pull container images from the registry.
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 30, 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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