The answer is to create two VLAN attachments, each on a different Interconnect. This configuration is required because achieving a 99.99% SLA for Partner Interconnect demands eliminating single points of failure at both the physical and logical layers; two separate Interconnects provide physical diversity against provider or location outages, while distinct VLAN attachments on each ensure that a failure of one attachment or its underlying link does not disrupt traffic, as the other attachment can seamlessly take over. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding that high availability is not just about redundant hardware but also about redundant logical constructs—a common trap is assuming a single Interconnect with multiple VLANs is sufficient, but that still leaves a physical link as a single point of failure. Remember the memory tip: “Two links, two attachments—double the diversity, double the uptime.”
PCNE Implementing hybrid interconnectivity Practice Question
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing hybrid interconnectivity. 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.
A company is designing a hybrid network with Partner Interconnect. They need to ensure high availability and meet a 99.99% SLA. Which TWO actions should they take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Provision two Partner Interconnects from different providers or locations
To meet a 99.99% SLA, the design must eliminate single points of failure at both the physical interconnect and the logical attachment level. Provisioning two Partner Interconnects from different providers or locations ensures physical diversity, while creating two VLAN attachments (each on a different Interconnect) provides logical redundancy, allowing traffic to fail over if one attachment or interconnect fails.
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.
✓
Provision two Partner Interconnects from different providers or locations
Why this is correct
Redundant Interconnects are required for high availability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Create two VLAN attachments, each on a different Interconnect
Why this is correct
Two VLAN attachments on separate Interconnects provide redundancy.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable VPN as a backup to the Interconnect
Why it's wrong here
VPN backup is not required for the SLA; the Interconnect itself can meet it.
✗
Create a single VLAN attachment with multiple BGP sessions
Why it's wrong here
Single VLAN attachment does not provide redundancy.
✗
Provision a single Partner Interconnect with two VLAN attachments
Why it's wrong here
A single Interconnect is a single point of failure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that multiple BGP sessions on a single attachment or a single interconnect provide sufficient redundancy, but the trap here is that the 99.99% SLA requires both physical and logical diversity, so candidates must recognize that a single interconnect (even with two VLAN attachments) is a single point of failure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Partner Interconnect uses a service provider to extend connectivity to Google Cloud, and each VLAN attachment maps to a Cloud Router BGP session. For 99.99% availability, Google Cloud requires at least two distinct interconnects (physically diverse) and two VLAN attachments (logically diverse), each with its own BGP session. Under the hood, BGP multipath and ECMP can load-balance traffic across the two attachments, but failover relies on BGP timers (e.g., hold time of 90 seconds) and route withdrawal; using different providers or locations ensures that a fiber cut or provider outage does not affect both paths.
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: Provision two Partner Interconnects from different providers or locations — To meet a 99.99% SLA, the design must eliminate single points of failure at both the physical interconnect and the logical attachment level. Provisioning two Partner Interconnects from different providers or locations ensures physical diversity, while creating two VLAN attachments (each on a different Interconnect) provides logical redundancy, allowing traffic to fail over if one attachment or interconnect fails.
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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