- A
Private Google Access
Why wrong: Private Google Access works from VMs in a VPC, but does not extend to on-premises via Cloud VPN; Private Service Connect does.
- B
Cloud NAT
Why wrong: Cloud NAT provides outbound internet but not private connectivity to APIs.
- C
Private Service Connect
Private Service Connect endpoints in a VPC provide private IP access to Google APIs, and can be reached from on-premises via Cloud VPN or Interconnect.
- D
Cloud VPN
Why wrong: Cloud VPN alone does not provide private connectivity to Google APIs; it connects on-premises to VPC.
Question 497 of 985
PCSE Configuring Network Security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network security. 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 wants to provide private connectivity from its VPC to Google APIs (e.g., Cloud Storage, BigQuery) without using public IPs or NAT. The solution must also support on-premises connectivity via Cloud VPN. Which service should they use?
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
✓
Private Service Connect
Private Service Connect enables private connectivity to Google APIs via internal IPs. It supports both VPC and on-premises (via Cloud VPN or Interconnect) access to Google APIs without traversing the internet.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Private Google Access
Why it's wrong here
Private Google Access works from VMs in a VPC, but does not extend to on-premises via Cloud VPN; Private Service Connect does.
- ✗
Cloud NAT
Why it's wrong here
Cloud NAT provides outbound internet but not private connectivity to APIs.
- ✓
Private Service Connect
- ✗
Cloud VPN
Why it's wrong here
Cloud VPN alone does not provide private connectivity to Google APIs; it connects on-premises to VPC.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCSE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Configuring Network Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Private Service Connect — Private Service Connect enables private connectivity to Google APIs via internal IPs. It supports both VPC and on-premises (via Cloud VPN or Interconnect) access to Google APIs without traversing the internet.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCSE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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