Quick Answer
The answer is a Private Service Connect endpoint. This is the correct resource because when a consumer wants to create a private service connect endpoint to access SaaS, they must provision this regional endpoint within their own VPC, which then uses an internal IP address to connect directly to the service attachment published by the provider. This architecture allows the SaaS service to appear as a private resource inside the consumer’s network, eliminating the need for public IPs or VPNs. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this concept tests your understanding of the consumer-provider model in Private Service Connect, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must distinguish between the consumer’s endpoint and the provider’s service attachment. A common trap is confusing the endpoint with the service attachment itself—remember, the provider publishes the attachment, but the consumer creates the endpoint. Memory tip: think of the endpoint as your private “door” into the SaaS provider’s house, while the service attachment is the “door” they leave open for you.
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network services. 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.
A company uses Private Service Connect (PSC) to access a managed SaaS application published by another company. The SaaS provider publishes a service attachment in their VPC. Which resource must the consumer create to connect to the service?
Service attachment
Why wrong: The producer creates the service attachment.
Internal forwarding rule
Why wrong: Forwarding rules are used by the producer, not the consumer.
Cloud VPN tunnel
Why wrong: Cloud VPN is not used for PSC.
Private Service Connect endpoint
The consumer creates an endpoint to connect to the producer's service.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Private Service Connect endpoint
When a consumer wants to connect to a managed SaaS application published via Private Service Connect (PSC), they must create a Private Service Connect endpoint in their own VPC. This endpoint is a regional resource that uses an internal IP address from the consumer's VPC and establishes a connection to the service attachment published by the provider. The endpoint effectively makes the SaaS service accessible as if it were a resource inside the consumer's VPC, without requiring public IPs or VPNs.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Service attachment
Why it's wrong here
The producer creates the service attachment.
Internal forwarding rule
Why it's wrong here
Forwarding rules are used by the producer, not the consumer.
Cloud VPN tunnel
Why it's wrong here
Cloud VPN is not used for PSC.
Private Service Connect endpoint
Why this is correct
The consumer creates an endpoint to connect to the producer's service.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between who creates which resource — candidates mistakenly think the consumer creates the service attachment (Option A) because they confuse it with the endpoint, but the service attachment is always created by the provider.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, a Private Service Connect endpoint creates a regional internal IP address (from a subnet in the consumer's VPC) that is mapped to the provider's service attachment via a Google-managed forwarding path. Traffic sent to this IP is transparently forwarded through Google's internal network to the provider's VPC, bypassing the public internet. A real-world scenario where this matters is when a consumer needs to access a third-party SaaS application (e.g., a monitoring tool) with strict security requirements, as PSC allows the traffic to remain within Google's network and use VPC firewall rules for access control.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Configuring network services — This question tests Configuring network services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Private Service Connect endpoint — When a consumer wants to connect to a managed SaaS application published via Private Service Connect (PSC), they must create a Private Service Connect endpoint in their own VPC. This endpoint is a regional resource that uses an internal IP address from the consumer's VPC and establishes a connection to the service attachment published by the provider. The endpoint effectively makes the SaaS service accessible as if it were a resource inside the consumer's VPC, without requiring public IPs or VPNs.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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