- A
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
MED is used to tell the on-premises peer which path to prefer for traffic coming into GCP. On Cloud Router, you can set MED on advertised routes to influence inbound traffic.
- B
Local Preference
Why wrong: Local preference is an AS-wide attribute; adjusting it on GCP would affect all routes within GCP, not outbound direction.
- C
Next hop
Why wrong: Next hop is not a BGP attribute used for path selection.
- D
AS Path prepend
Why wrong: AS Path prepend is applied on the on-premises side to make GCP routes less preferred; it's not configured on Cloud Router for outbound.
Question 522 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. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 organization has a hybrid network with multiple BGP sessions between on-premises and GCP. They want to influence outbound traffic from GCP to prefer a specific path. Which BGP attribute should they adjust on the Cloud 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
✓
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) is the correct BGP attribute to influence outbound traffic from GCP because it is a metric that tells neighboring ASes which path to prefer when multiple entry points exist. On Cloud Router, adjusting the MED value on the BGP session makes GCP advertise a lower MED for the preferred path, causing on-premises routers to select that path for inbound traffic (from on-premises to GCP). This directly influences the outbound traffic from GCP by controlling how on-premises routers route return traffic, which is the key requirement.
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.
- ✓
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
Why this is correct
MED is used to tell the on-premises peer which path to prefer for traffic coming into GCP. On Cloud Router, you can set MED on advertised routes to influence inbound traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Local Preference
Why it's wrong here
Local preference is an AS-wide attribute; adjusting it on GCP would affect all routes within GCP, not outbound direction.
- ✗
Next hop
Why it's wrong here
Next hop is not a BGP attribute used for path selection.
- ✗
AS Path prepend
Why it's wrong here
AS Path prepend is applied on the on-premises side to make GCP routes less preferred; it's not configured on Cloud Router for outbound.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the confusion between MED and Local Preference, where candidates mistakenly think Local Preference influences inbound traffic from other ASes, but Local Preference is only used for outbound path selection within the local AS.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MED is a non-transitive optional attribute (RFC 4271) that is exchanged between neighboring ASes and compared only when paths come from the same neighboring AS; a lower MED value is preferred. In GCP Cloud Router, you can set MED per BGP session using the `--advertised-route-med` flag or via custom route advertisements, allowing fine-grained control over which on-premises router receives a lower metric for specific prefixes. A real-world scenario is when an organization has two on-premises data centers connected to GCP via separate Cloud Routers; setting a lower MED on one session makes that data center the preferred entry point for traffic from GCP, enabling load balancing or failover.
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 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCNE questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCNE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCNE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Configuring Network Services practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Configuring Network Services.
Implementing Hybrid Interconnectivity practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Implementing Hybrid Interconnectivity.
Managing, Monitoring, and Optimising Network Operations practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Managing, Monitoring, and Optimising Network Operations.
Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Designing, Planning, and Prototyping a GCP Network.
Implementing VPC Instances practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Implementing VPC Instances.
Implementing network security practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Implementing network security.
Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud.
PCNE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to PCNE fundamentals.
PCNE scenario practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to PCNE scenario.
PCNE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCNE questions linked to PCNE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCNE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) — MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) is the correct BGP attribute to influence outbound traffic from GCP because it is a metric that tells neighboring ASes which path to prefer when multiple entry points exist. On Cloud Router, adjusting the MED value on the BGP session makes GCP advertise a lower MED for the preferred path, causing on-premises routers to select that path for inbound traffic (from on-premises to GCP). This directly influences the outbound traffic from GCP by controlling how on-premises routers route return traffic, which is the key requirement.
What should I do if I get this PCNE 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.