- A
Configure VPC Service Controls to allow egress only from a specific IP range.
Why wrong: VPC Service Controls control access to Google services, not external IPs.
- B
Use a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address and configure the MIG to route outbound traffic through the load balancer.
The load balancer's static IP is used for outbound traffic, providing a fixed source IP.
- C
Assign static external IP addresses to each instance in the MIG and configure the partner firewall accordingly.
Why wrong: MIG scaling could change IPs; managing many static IPs is not efficient.
- D
Use Cloud NAT with a static NAT IP address for all egress traffic from the instances.
Why wrong: Cloud NAT requires a static NAT IP, but the MIG needs an external load balancer for inbound traffic; outbound via NAT is possible but not the primary solution.
Quick Answer
The correct solution is to use a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address and configure the managed instance group to route outbound traffic through the load balancer. This works because the load balancer acts as a forward proxy, forcing all egress traffic from the MIG to originate from its static IP, which satisfies the partner whitelist compliance requirement for a known, fixed source address while preserving the high availability of the MIG. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to decouple outbound source IPs from ephemeral compute instances—a common trap is assuming you can assign a static IP directly to each VM in a MIG, which is impossible since MIGs auto-scale and replace instances. The key insight is that load balancers can serve as egress proxies, not just ingress traffic managers. Memory tip: think “LB as egress proxy” to remember that a load balancer’s static IP can anchor outbound compliance.
PCSE Supporting compliance requirements Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of supporting compliance requirements. 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 is migrating a legacy on-premises application to Google Compute Engine. The application requires a static IP address for compliance with a regulatory requirement that outbound connections to a partner's IP whitelist must originate from a known, fixed IP. The application will run in a managed instance group (MIG) for high availability. Which of the following solutions meets the compliance requirement?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Use a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address and configure the MIG to route outbound traffic through the load balancer.
Option B is correct because a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address can be used as a forward proxy for outbound traffic. By configuring the managed instance group (MIG) to route all egress traffic through the load balancer, all outbound connections will originate from the load balancer's static IP, meeting the compliance requirement for a known, fixed source IP. This approach ensures high availability through the MIG while maintaining a single static IP for partner whitelisting.
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.
- ✗
Configure VPC Service Controls to allow egress only from a specific IP range.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls control access to Google services, not external IPs.
- ✓
Use a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address and configure the MIG to route outbound traffic through the load balancer.
Why this is correct
The load balancer's static IP is used for outbound traffic, providing a fixed source IP.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Assign static external IP addresses to each instance in the MIG and configure the partner firewall accordingly.
Why it's wrong here
MIG scaling could change IPs; managing many static IPs is not efficient.
- ✗
Use Cloud NAT with a static NAT IP address for all egress traffic from the instances.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud NAT requires a static NAT IP, but the MIG needs an external load balancer for inbound traffic; outbound via NAT is possible but not the primary solution.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that Cloud NAT alone is sufficient for static egress IPs, but the question's requirement for high availability via a MIG and the specific mention of a load balancer in the correct answer highlight that Cloud NAT does not route traffic through a load balancer, making it incompatible with the described architecture.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a regional external HTTPS load balancer uses a forwarding rule with a static external IP address, and when configured as a proxy for outbound traffic (e.g., via a custom route or proxy configuration), it can source NAT all egress connections to that IP. This leverages the load balancer's backend service health checks and autoscaling to maintain availability, while the static IP is reserved via a global or regional address resource. In practice, this setup is often used for applications that need a fixed egress IP without exposing individual instance IPs, but it requires careful routing configuration to ensure traffic does not bypass the load balancer.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Supporting compliance requirements — This question tests Supporting compliance requirements — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address and configure the MIG to route outbound traffic through the load balancer. — Option B is correct because a regional external HTTPS load balancer with a static IP address can be used as a forward proxy for outbound traffic. By configuring the managed instance group (MIG) to route all egress traffic through the load balancer, all outbound connections will originate from the load balancer's static IP, meeting the compliance requirement for a known, fixed source IP. This approach ensures high availability through the MIG while maintaining a single static IP for partner whitelisting.
What should I do if I get this PCSE 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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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.
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