- A
No, each VPC must have its own Cloud NAT gateway
Cloud NAT is per VPC and per region. It cannot be shared across VPCs, even with peering.
- B
Yes, by enabling 'NAT support' on the VPC peering connection
Why wrong: VPC peering does not have a NAT support feature. Each VPC must have its own Cloud NAT.
- C
No, but you can use a single instance with an external IP as a NAT instance
Why wrong: While technically possible, it's not a Cloud NAT gateway. The question asks about Cloud NAT specifically. Also, using a NAT instance is an alternative but not the recommended solution.
- D
Yes, by configuring the Cloud NAT gateway in one VPC and adding a route in the peered VPC with next hop as the NAT gateway
Why wrong: Cloud NAT is not a routeable next hop; it's a function of the VPC's Cloud Router. Peered VPCs cannot use each other's NAT.
PCNE Implementing VPC Instances Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing vpc instances. 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.
An engineer has multiple projects with overlapping IP ranges. They want to create a single Cloud NAT gateway to provide outbound internet access for instances in two different VPCs that are connected via VPC Network Peering. Is this possible?
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
No, each VPC must have its own Cloud NAT gateway
Cloud NAT is a regional resource that belongs to a single VPC network and router. It cannot be shared across VPCs via peering. Each VPC needs its own Cloud NAT gateway. Peering does not allow using the other VPC's NAT.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
No, each VPC must have its own Cloud NAT gateway
- ✗
Yes, by enabling 'NAT support' on the VPC peering connection
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering does not have a NAT support feature. Each VPC must have its own Cloud NAT.
- ✗
No, but you can use a single instance with an external IP as a NAT instance
- ✗
Yes, by configuring the Cloud NAT gateway in one VPC and adding a route in the peered VPC with next hop as the NAT gateway
Why it's wrong here
Cloud NAT is not a routeable next hop; it's a function of the VPC's Cloud Router. Peered VPCs cannot use each other's NAT.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCNE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Implementing VPC Instances — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNE question test?
Implementing VPC Instances — This question tests Implementing VPC Instances — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: No, each VPC must have its own Cloud NAT gateway — Cloud NAT is a regional resource that belongs to a single VPC network and router. It cannot be shared across VPCs via peering. Each VPC needs its own Cloud NAT gateway. Peering does not allow using the other VPC's NAT.
What should I do if I get this PCNE question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCNE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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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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