- A
Weight
Why wrong: Weight is a Cisco-proprietary attribute, not used in Cloud Router.
- B
Local Preference
Why wrong: Local preference is used for outbound traffic in BGP, not for inbound advertisement.
- C
AS Path
Why wrong: AS Path is used for loop prevention and path selection, but MED is more direct for influencing inbound traffic.
- D
Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED)
MED is the correct attribute for influencing inbound traffic preference.
Question 613 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 organization wants to use Cloud Router with BGP to advertise a specific on-premises subnet (10.0.1.0/24) to its GCP VPC. Which BGP attribute should they use to influence route selection if multiple paths exist?
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
✓
Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED)
The Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED) is the correct BGP attribute for influencing inbound route selection when multiple paths exist from different autonomous systems (ASes). In this scenario, the organization advertises 10.0.1.0/24 via Cloud Router, and MED allows the on-premises router to prefer a specific path by suggesting a lower metric value (default 0, lower is better). Unlike Weight or Local Preference, MED is exchanged between ASes and directly affects how the on-premises side selects among multiple GVP paths.
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.
- ✗
Weight
Why it's wrong here
Weight is a Cisco-proprietary attribute, not used in Cloud Router.
- ✗
Local Preference
Why it's wrong here
Local preference is used for outbound traffic in BGP, not for inbound advertisement.
- ✗
AS Path
Why it's wrong here
AS Path is used for loop prevention and path selection, but MED is more direct for influencing inbound traffic.
- ✓
Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED)
Why this is correct
MED is the correct attribute for influencing inbound traffic preference.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Local Preference (which influences outbound traffic from the AS) with MED (which influences inbound traffic to the AS), leading them to pick Option B instead of D.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MED is an optional non-transitive BGP attribute defined in RFC 4271, typically used to discriminate between multiple entry points into the same AS. In GCP, Cloud Router advertises routes with a default MED of 0, and you can set a custom MED value per BGP session to influence which on-premises path is preferred. A real-world scenario is when an organization has two on-premises routers connected to two different Cloud Routers in the same VPC; setting a lower MED on one session makes that path preferred for inbound traffic to the advertised subnet.
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.
Visual reference
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
982 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: Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED) — The Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED) is the correct BGP attribute for influencing inbound route selection when multiple paths exist from different autonomous systems (ASes). In this scenario, the organization advertises 10.0.1.0/24 via Cloud Router, and MED allows the on-premises router to prefer a specific path by suggesting a lower metric value (default 0, lower is better). Unlike Weight or Local Preference, MED is exchanged between ASes and directly affects how the on-premises side selects among multiple GVP paths.
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.