- A
Use a separate VPC for the GKE cluster with its own subnet.
Why wrong: This adds complexity; secondary ranges are designed for this purpose within the same VPC.
- B
Create secondary IP ranges on the subnet for pods and services.
Secondary ranges are the standard way to allocate IPs for GKE pods and services.
- C
Use the primary subnet range for pods and create a separate subnet for services.
Why wrong: This is not the recommended approach; secondary ranges are simpler and avoid subnet proliferation.
- D
Use alias IP ranges on the VM instances for pods and services.
Why wrong: Alias IPs are for individual VMs, not for entire GKE clusters.
Question 244 of 1,000
PCNE Practice Question: Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of designing, planning, and prototyping a gcp network. 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.
A company has a GKE cluster that needs to be accessed by pods and services. The cluster is deployed in a VPC with a primary subnet 10.0.0.0/16. To avoid IP exhaustion, they want to use separate IP ranges for pods and services. Which approach should they take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
✓
Create secondary IP ranges on the subnet for pods and services.
GKE supports secondary IP ranges for pods and services, which are defined on the subnet and allocated separately from the primary range.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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 a separate VPC for the GKE cluster with its own subnet.
Why it's wrong here
This adds complexity; secondary ranges are designed for this purpose within the same VPC.
- ✓
Create secondary IP ranges on the subnet for pods and services.
- ✗
Use the primary subnet range for pods and create a separate subnet for services.
Why it's wrong here
This is not the recommended approach; secondary ranges are simpler and avoid subnet proliferation.
- ✗
Use alias IP ranges on the VM instances for pods and services.
Why it's wrong here
Alias IPs are for individual VMs, not for entire GKE clusters.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related PCNE subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
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Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNE question test?
Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network — This question tests Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create secondary IP ranges on the subnet for pods and services. — GKE supports secondary IP ranges for pods and services, which are defined on the subnet and allocated separately from the primary range.
What should I do if I get this PCNE question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related PCNE subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCNE 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 PCNE exam.
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