The answer is to configure a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket. This solution is correct because it terminates SSL at the edge using Google Front Ends (GFEs), while routing traffic over Google’s global network to the nearest Cloud Storage bucket, providing low latency worldwide for serving global static content. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how global load balancing integrates with cloud storage backends and edge SSL termination, often appearing as a distractor against regional load balancers or Cloud CDN without a load balancer. A common trap is choosing Cloud CDN alone, but the requirement for SSL termination at the edge and native backend bucket support makes the global HTTP(S) load balancer mandatory. Memory tip: think “GFE + backend bucket = global static content with SSL at the edge,” where the load balancer handles both the anycast IP and the SSL handshake before traffic reaches Cloud Storage.
PCNE Configuring network services Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network services. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 wants to serve global static content from a Cloud Storage bucket. They need low latency worldwide and SSL termination at the edge. Which solution should they choose?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket.
A global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket is the correct choice because it provides SSL termination at the edge (using Google Front Ends) and routes traffic over Google's global network to the nearest Cloud Storage bucket, ensuring low latency worldwide. The HTTP(S) load balancer supports global anycast IP addresses and integrates natively with Cloud Storage backends, making it ideal for serving static content globally.
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.
✗
Use a TCP/UDP network load balancer with the bucket as backend.
Why it's wrong here
Network load balancers do not terminate SSL or serve HTTP content.
✓
Configure a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket.
Why this is correct
This provides global anycast IP, SSL termination, and integrates with Cloud CDN.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy an internal TCP/UDP load balancer with the bucket as backend.
Why it's wrong here
Internal load balancers are for private traffic within a VPC.
✗
Set up Cloud CDN directly on the bucket without a load balancer.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that Cloud CDN alone can provide SSL termination at the edge, but in reality, Cloud CDN requires a load balancer (HTTP(S) or external) to terminate SSL and route traffic, as the bucket's native HTTPS endpoint does not offer edge-based SSL termination or global anycast IP.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The global external HTTP(S) load balancer uses Google Front Ends (GFEs) distributed globally, which terminate SSL/TLS connections at the edge closest to the user, then forward requests over Google's private backbone to the backend bucket. This setup leverages Cloud CDN automatically when enabled, caching content at edge locations for even lower latency, while the bucket itself serves as the origin. A key subtlety is that the backend bucket must be configured with the load balancer's IP address as the bucket's CNAME target, and the load balancer handles SSL certificate management via Google-managed certificates or custom ones.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Configure a global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket. — A global external HTTP(S) load balancer with a backend bucket is the correct choice because it provides SSL termination at the edge (using Google Front Ends) and routes traffic over Google's global network to the nearest Cloud Storage bucket, ensuring low latency worldwide. The HTTP(S) load balancer supports global anycast IP addresses and integrates natively with Cloud Storage backends, making it ideal for serving static content globally.
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.
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Question Discussion
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