The correct configuration is a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with an anycast IP and Cloud CDN enabled. This works because the anycast IP allows Google’s global network to route each user to the nearest healthy backend based on geographic proximity, while Cloud CDN caches content at Google’s edge points of presence to further reduce latency for both static and dynamic responses. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how global load balancing with Cloud CDN minimizes latency for worldwide traffic, often appearing as a trap where you might mistakenly choose a regional load balancer or forget to enable CDN. The key distinction is that a global load balancer uses a single anycast IP, unlike regional options that require multiple IPs and DNS-based routing. Memory tip: think “Anycast + CDN = global speed”; the anycast IP handles routing, and CDN handles caching, together delivering the lowest latency from the nearest healthy backend.
PCNE Configuring network services Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network services. 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 global e-commerce company has deployed a web application across multiple GCP regions using an external HTTPS load balancer. Traffic is expected to originate from users worldwide. They want to minimize latency and improve user experience, while also ensuring that traffic is served from the nearest healthy backend. Which load balancing configuration should they use?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with an anycast IP and enable Cloud CDN.
A global external HTTP(S) load balancer uses a single anycast IP address, which directs each user to the closest healthy backend based on the user's geographic location and backend health. Enabling Cloud CDN further reduces latency by caching content at Google's global edge locations, ensuring that static and dynamic content is served from the nearest point of presence.
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.
✗
Deploy a regional external HTTP(S) load balancer in each region and use Cloud CDN to cache content.
Why it's wrong here
Regional load balancers only serve traffic within that region; global routing is needed.
✓
Use a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with an anycast IP and enable Cloud CDN.
Why this is correct
Global load balancer uses anycast to route users to the nearest healthy backend automatically.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure an internal TCP/UDP load balancer in each region with DNS-based geolocation routing.
Why it's wrong here
Internal load balancers are not exposed to the internet.
✗
Set up a global external TCP proxy load balancer with SSL termination at each backend.
Why it's wrong here
TCP proxy does not support HTTPS termination; it's for TCP traffic only.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between global anycast-based load balancers and regional load balancers with DNS routing, where candidates mistakenly think that regional load balancers with Cloud CDN can achieve the same latency optimization as a global anycast load balancer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The global external HTTP(S) load balancer uses Google Front End (GFE) infrastructure with anycast IPs announced from multiple GCP regions, so packets from a user are routed to the nearest GFE that has a healthy backend. Cloud CDN integrates directly with this load balancer, caching content at edge caches that are also anycast, which can serve cached responses even if the origin backend is in a different region, significantly reducing latency for repeated requests.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Configuring network services — This question tests Configuring network services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with an anycast IP and enable Cloud CDN. — A global external HTTP(S) load balancer uses a single anycast IP address, which directs each user to the closest healthy backend based on the user's geographic location and backend health. Enabling Cloud CDN further reduces latency by caching content at Google's global edge locations, ensuring that static and dynamic content is served from the nearest point of presence.
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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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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