- A
Use AS path prepending on the primary tunnel to make it preferred
Why wrong: AS path prepending makes a path less preferred; you would prepend on the backup tunnel.
- B
Set a higher local preference on the primary tunnel
Higher local preference makes a route more preferred, so setting it on the primary tunnel ensures it is used when available.
- C
Configure the same MED value on both tunnels
Why wrong: Same MED would not differentiate preference; equal paths might cause ECMP or instability.
- D
Configure ECMP to load balance across both tunnels
Why wrong: ECMP is for load balancing, not failover.
Question 587 of 982
PCNE Implementing Hybrid Interconnectivity Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing hybrid interconnectivity. 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.
A company has a HA VPN gateway in Google Cloud with two tunnels to their on-premises router. They want to ensure that if one tunnel fails, all traffic automatically fails over to the other tunnel. What configuration is necessary on the on-premises router?
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
✓
Set a higher local preference on the primary tunnel
For failover, the on-premises router should prefer one tunnel over the other using BGP attributes like local preference or AS path prepending. Typically, one tunnel is primary and the other is backup. Both tunnels should be established with BGP sessions, and the on-premises router should learn the same routes from both, but with different local preference values to determine the primary path.
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.
- ✗
Use AS path prepending on the primary tunnel to make it preferred
Why it's wrong here
AS path prepending makes a path less preferred; you would prepend on the backup tunnel.
- ✓
Set a higher local preference on the primary tunnel
Why this is correct
Higher local preference makes a route more preferred, so setting it on the primary tunnel ensures it is used when available.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure the same MED value on both tunnels
Why it's wrong here
Same MED would not differentiate preference; equal paths might cause ECMP or instability.
- ✗
Configure ECMP to load balance across both tunnels
Why it's wrong here
ECMP is for load balancing, not failover.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCNE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Implementing Hybrid Interconnectivity — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNE question test?
Implementing Hybrid Interconnectivity — This question tests Implementing Hybrid Interconnectivity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set a higher local preference on the primary tunnel — For failover, the on-premises router should prefer one tunnel over the other using BGP attributes like local preference or AS path prepending. Typically, one tunnel is primary and the other is backup. Both tunnels should be established with BGP sessions, and the on-premises router should learn the same routes from both, but with different local preference values to determine the primary path.
What should I do if I get this PCNE question wrong?
Identify which PCNE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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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