The answer is that the on-premises router is not configured to advertise routes. When a BGP session is connected but no routes are received, the session itself has been established at the transport and BGP protocol level, but the neighbor router has not sent any Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI) because it lacks a network statement or a redistribution command for its local prefixes. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between a control plane issue (route advertisement) and a data plane or session establishment problem—a common trap is to blame the Cloud Router or VPN tunnel when the session state is already CONNECTED. The key clue is that routesReceived remains at zero, which points squarely to the on-premises side not originating routes. For a quick memory tip, remember: “Session up, routes zero? Check the neighbor’s network statement, not the tunnel.”
PCNE Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing a virtual private cloud. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. You are troubleshooting an on-premises to Cloud VPN connection with dynamic routing. The BGP session is CONNECTED, but no routes are received from the on-premises router. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The on-premises router is not configured to advertise routes.
The BGP session is up, but routesReceived is 0, indicating the on-premises router is not advertising routes.
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.
✗
The firewall rules are blocking BGP traffic.
Why it's wrong here
If BGP traffic was blocked, the session would not be CONNECTED.
✓
The on-premises router is not configured to advertise routes.
Why this is correct
Since the BGP session is CONNECTED but no routes received, the on-premises side is not advertising.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The VPN tunnel is down.
Why it's wrong here
The BGP session being CONNECTED indicates the tunnel is up.
✗
The cloud router is not advertising any routes.
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit shows advertised groups: ALL_SUBNETS, so cloud router is advertising.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The exhibit shows advertised groups: ALL_SUBNETS, so cloud router is advertising.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 PCNE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud — This question tests Implementing a Virtual Private Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The on-premises router is not configured to advertise routes. — The BGP session is up, but routesReceived is 0, indicating the on-premises router is not advertising routes.
What should I do if I get this PCNE question wrong?
Identify which PCNE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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
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