- A
Delete each VM and recreate it without a public IP address.
Why wrong: This causes application downtime and potential data loss; not a zero-downtime solution.
- B
First, deploy a Cloud NAT gateway for the VPC and subnet, then remove the public IP from each VM; the VMs will use Cloud NAT for outbound internet access.
Cloud NAT provides outbound internet without public IPs and can be set up without VM downtime. Then public IPs can be safely removed.
- C
Detach the public IP from each VM in the console, and then create a new private IP for the VM.
Why wrong: This immediately removes outbound internet access, disrupting potential updates.
- D
For each VM, use the gcloud command to delete the public IP and assign a new private IP from the same subnet.
Why wrong: Deleting the public IP removes outbound internet; assigning a new private IP does not restore internet connectivity.
Quick Answer
The answer is to first deploy a Cloud NAT gateway for the VPC and subnet, then remove the public IP from each VM. This is correct because Cloud NAT enables outbound internet access for private instances without requiring external IP addresses, and removing a public IP from a running VM does not terminate active SSH sessions or disrupt applications—the instance continues operating on its internal IP. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to transition existing workloads to a zero-trust network model using IAP TCP forwarding for management while preserving outbound connectivity. A common trap is assuming you must recreate the VMs or that removing the public IP will cause downtime; in reality, the network interface update is seamless. Remember the key sequence: NAT first, then remove IPs—think of Cloud NAT as the “private exit ramp” that replaces the public IP’s outbound role.
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 has a Shared VPC environment with multiple service projects. The security team wants to ensure that all Compute Engine VMs in service projects are only accessible via IAP TCP forwarding for SSH management, and direct external access is completely blocked. They have already applied an organization policy constraint that denies the attachment of external IP addresses to new VMs. However, there are several existing VMs that still have public IP addresses assigned. The team wants to remove the public IPs from these existing VMs without causing downtime for any ongoing SSH sessions or disrupting the applications running on them, but they must ensure the VMs can still reach the internet if needed (for example, to download updates). What should the team do?
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
First, deploy a Cloud NAT gateway for the VPC and subnet, then remove the public IP from each VM; the VMs will use Cloud NAT for outbound internet access.
Option B is correct because Cloud NAT provides outbound internet access for private VMs without requiring public IPs, and removing the public IP from an existing VM does not interrupt running SSH sessions or applications—the VM continues running with its internal IP. After deploying Cloud NAT for the VPC and subnet, you can safely remove the public IP from each VM, and the VM will use Cloud NAT for outbound connections (e.g., downloading updates). This approach satisfies the security requirement of blocking direct external access while maintaining outbound connectivity and avoiding downtime.
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.
- ✗
Delete each VM and recreate it without a public IP address.
Why it's wrong here
This causes application downtime and potential data loss; not a zero-downtime solution.
- ✓
First, deploy a Cloud NAT gateway for the VPC and subnet, then remove the public IP from each VM; the VMs will use Cloud NAT for outbound internet access.
- ✗
Detach the public IP from each VM in the console, and then create a new private IP for the VM.
Why it's wrong here
This immediately removes outbound internet access, disrupting potential updates.
- ✗
For each VM, use the gcloud command to delete the public IP and assign a new private IP from the same subnet.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the public IP removes outbound internet; assigning a new private IP does not restore internet connectivity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that simply removing a public IP and assigning a new private IP (options C and D) will somehow preserve internet access, but without Cloud NAT or a similar outbound gateway, private VMs cannot reach the internet.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud NAT uses the IAP (Identity-Aware Proxy) TCP forwarding mechanism for inbound SSH management, which works with private VMs by proxying connections through Google's infrastructure. Under the hood, Cloud NAT performs source network address translation (SNAT) for outbound packets, mapping private IPs to a single external IP (or a pool) so that VMs can reach the internet. A subtle behavior is that removing a public IP from a running VM does not affect existing TCP sessions (like SSH) because those sessions are established via the internal IP; however, new outbound connections will immediately use Cloud NAT if configured.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring network security — This question tests Configuring network security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: First, deploy a Cloud NAT gateway for the VPC and subnet, then remove the public IP from each VM; the VMs will use Cloud NAT for outbound internet access. — Option B is correct because Cloud NAT provides outbound internet access for private VMs without requiring public IPs, and removing the public IP from an existing VM does not interrupt running SSH sessions or applications—the VM continues running with its internal IP. After deploying Cloud NAT for the VPC and subnet, you can safely remove the public IP from each VM, and the VM will use Cloud NAT for outbound connections (e.g., downloading updates). This approach satisfies the security requirement of blocking direct external access while maintaining outbound connectivity and avoiding downtime.
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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