- A
Plan secondary IP ranges for GKE pods and services
Secondary ranges are required for GKE.
- B
Use the same IP range as on-premises for simplicity
Why wrong: Overlapping ranges cause routing conflicts.
- C
Use a public IP range for the VPC to avoid overlap
Why wrong: Public IP ranges are not recommended for VPCs.
- D
Select a CIDR block that does not overlap with the on-premises network
Overlap would break connectivity.
- E
Use a RFC 1918 private IP range for the VPC
GCP VPCs should use private ranges.
Question 769 of 982
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.
An engineer needs to plan IP address ranges for a new GCP environment that will connect to an on-premises network via Dedicated Interconnect. The on-premises network uses 10.0.0.0/8. The GCP VPC must support GKE pods and services and future expansion. Which THREE best practices should the engineer follow? (Choose three.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Plan secondary IP ranges for GKE pods and services
Best practices: Use RFC 1918 private ranges, avoid overlapping with on-premises, plan secondary ranges for GKE (pods and services), and use non-overlapping ranges for future expansion.
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.
- ✓
Plan secondary IP ranges for GKE pods and services
Why this is correct
Secondary ranges are required for GKE.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✗
Use the same IP range as on-premises for simplicity
Why it's wrong here
Overlapping ranges cause routing conflicts.
- ✗
Use a public IP range for the VPC to avoid overlap
Why it's wrong here
Public IP ranges are not recommended for VPCs.
- ✓
Select a CIDR block that does not overlap with the on-premises network
Why this is correct
Overlap would break connectivity.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✓
Use a RFC 1918 private IP range for the VPC
Why this is correct
GCP VPCs should use private ranges.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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: Plan secondary IP ranges for GKE pods and services — Best practices: Use RFC 1918 private ranges, avoid overlapping with on-premises, plan secondary ranges for GKE (pods and services), and use non-overlapping ranges for future expansion.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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