- A
VPC Network Peering provides lower latency because traffic stays within Google's network.
Peering uses Google's internal network, avoiding internet hops, thus lower latency.
- B
VPC Network Peering requires a separate VPN gateway appliance.
Why wrong: Peering does not require any gateway; it's a direct connection.
- C
Cloud VPN incurs egress costs for data transfer, while VPC Network Peering typically does not.
Peering traffic within the same region is free; cross-region peering has costs but generally lower than VPN with egress.
- D
VPC Network Peering can only be established within the same organization.
Why wrong: Peering can be set up across different organizations.
- E
Cloud VPN encrypts traffic, which VPC Network Peering does not.
Why wrong: This is true but not a benefit of peering; peering does not provide encryption.
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.
Which TWO statements are true regarding the benefits of using VPC Network Peering over Cloud VPN for connecting two VPC networks?
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
VPC Network Peering provides lower latency because traffic stays within Google's network.
Option A is correct because VPC Network Peering uses Google's internal infrastructure to route traffic directly between VPC networks, avoiding the public internet and reducing the number of network hops. This results in lower latency compared to Cloud VPN, which typically encrypts and tunnels traffic over the public internet, introducing additional overhead and potential variability in latency.
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.
- ✓
VPC Network Peering provides lower latency because traffic stays within Google's network.
Why this is correct
Peering uses Google's internal network, avoiding internet hops, thus lower latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
VPC Network Peering requires a separate VPN gateway appliance.
Why it's wrong here
Peering does not require any gateway; it's a direct connection.
- ✓
Cloud VPN incurs egress costs for data transfer, while VPC Network Peering typically does not.
Why this is correct
Peering traffic within the same region is free; cross-region peering has costs but generally lower than VPN with egress.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
VPC Network Peering can only be established within the same organization.
Why it's wrong here
Peering can be set up across different organizations.
- ✗
Cloud VPN encrypts traffic, which VPC Network Peering does not.
Why it's wrong here
This is true but not a benefit of peering; peering does not provide encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the lack of encryption in VPC Network Peering as a disadvantage, but the question asks for benefits, so encryption (Option E) is not a benefit of peering; instead, the lower latency and reduced egress costs are the key advantages.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Network Peering leverages Google's global network backbone, using RFC 1918 private IP addresses to communicate directly between peered VPCs without traversing the public internet. This design inherently provides lower latency and higher throughput compared to IPsec VPN tunnels, which encapsulate packets with additional headers and rely on internet routing. In real-world scenarios, applications requiring consistent low-latency communication, such as real-time data replication or microservice interconnects, benefit significantly from peering over VPN.
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.
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?
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: VPC Network Peering provides lower latency because traffic stays within Google's network. — Option A is correct because VPC Network Peering uses Google's internal infrastructure to route traffic directly between VPC networks, avoiding the public internet and reducing the number of network hops. This results in lower latency compared to Cloud VPN, which typically encrypts and tunnels traffic over the public internet, introducing additional overhead and potential variability in latency.
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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