The answer is to set a higher LOCAL_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route. This works because LOCAL_PREF is a well-known mandatory BGP attribute that influences outbound traffic from an autonomous system, and it is evaluated before other attributes like AS_PATH and MED, making it the most direct way to prefer one path over another. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to manipulate BGP path selection within Google Cloud, specifically when using HA VPN tunnels with redundant Cloud Routers. A common trap is confusing LOCAL_PREF with MED or AS_PATH prepending, but remember that LOCAL_PREF is for outbound traffic from your AS, while MED is for inbound. For this exam, always think of LOCAL_PREF as the “first check” for choosing an exit path. A helpful memory tip: “Higher LOCAL_PREF, higher preference—like a VIP pass for your primary router.”
PCNE Implementing hybrid interconnectivity Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing hybrid interconnectivity. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 two HA VPN tunnels from on-premises to Google Cloud using two separate Cloud Routers for redundancy. The on-premises network uses BGP and advertises a default route to Google Cloud. The company wants to ensure that traffic from Google Cloud to on-premises prefers the primary Cloud Router over the secondary. Which configuration should be applied?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Set the primary Cloud Router's BGP IP as the next-hop for all routes on the secondary.
Why wrong: Next-hop manipulation does not directly affect route preference.
B
Set a lower MED on the primary Cloud Router's BGP session for the default route advertisement.
Why wrong: MED influences inbound traffic, not outbound from Google Cloud.
C
Set a higher LOCAL_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route.
Higher LOCAL_PREF makes the route more preferred for outbound traffic from Google Cloud.
D
Set a shorter AS_PATH on the primary Cloud Router's BGP session.
Why wrong: AS_PATH is not typically manipulated in Cloud Router; plus, shorter path is more preferred but Cloud Router advertises routes to on-premises, not receives.
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_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route.
Option C is correct because LOCAL_PREF is a well-known mandatory BGP attribute that is used to influence outbound traffic from an AS. By setting a higher LOCAL_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route, Google Cloud will prefer that path for traffic destined to on-premises, as LOCAL_PREF is evaluated before other attributes like AS_PATH and MED.
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.
✗
Set the primary Cloud Router's BGP IP as the next-hop for all routes on the secondary.
Why it's wrong here
Next-hop manipulation does not directly affect route preference.
✗
Set a lower MED on the primary Cloud Router's BGP session for the default route advertisement.
Why it's wrong here
MED influences inbound traffic, not outbound from Google Cloud.
✓
Set a higher LOCAL_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route.
Why this is correct
Higher LOCAL_PREF makes the route more preferred for outbound traffic from Google Cloud.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Set a shorter AS_PATH on the primary Cloud Router's BGP session.
Why it's wrong here
AS_PATH is not typically manipulated in Cloud Router; plus, shorter path is more preferred but Cloud Router advertises routes to on-premises, not receives.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse MED (which influences inbound traffic) with LOCAL_PREF (which influences outbound traffic), leading them to incorrectly select Option B, thinking MED can control which path Google Cloud uses to send traffic to on-premises.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
LOCAL_PREF is an AS-wide attribute that is propagated to all iBGP peers within the same AS, making it ideal for influencing outbound traffic from Google Cloud. In a scenario with two Cloud Routers advertising the same default route, the router with the higher LOCAL_PREF (default 100) will be chosen first, regardless of other attributes. This is commonly configured using route policies or BGP communities, such as setting a community value that maps to a higher LOCAL_PREF on the receiving router.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
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_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route. — Option C is correct because LOCAL_PREF is a well-known mandatory BGP attribute that is used to influence outbound traffic from an AS. By setting a higher LOCAL_PREF on the primary Cloud Router for the default route, Google Cloud will prefer that path for traffic destined to on-premises, as LOCAL_PREF is evaluated before other attributes like AS_PATH and MED.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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