The answer is that the VPC networks must not have overlapping IP ranges. This is a fundamental requirement for VPC Network Peering because the service automatically exchanges subnet routes between the peered networks to enable private IP connectivity; if two VPCs share any CIDR blocks, the route exchange would create ambiguous or conflicting paths, breaking the implicit routing that makes peering work without additional route tables or VPN gateways. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this requirement tests your understanding of how network isolation and route propagation function within Google Cloud, often appearing as a distractor where overlapping ranges are mistakenly allowed in a hybrid scenario. A common trap is assuming that VPC Network Peering supports overlapping ranges if you use custom routes, but the peering service itself strictly forbids it at the subnet level. Remember the memory tip: “No overlap, no conflict—peering routes are automatic and implicit.”
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.
Which THREE of the following are valid requirements for using VPC Network Peering? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Subnet routes are automatically exchanged between the peered VPCs.
Option B is correct because VPC Network Peering automatically exchanges subnet routes between the peered VPCs, enabling private IP connectivity without requiring additional route tables or VPN gateways. This route exchange is implicit once the peering connection is established, provided the networks do not have overlapping CIDR blocks.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that Cloud NAT is required for VPC Peering, but the trap here is that peering is purely for private IP communication and does not involve NAT or internet gateway functionality.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, VPC Network Peering leverages the Google Cloud internal infrastructure to exchange routes via the Cloud Router, but unlike VPN or Interconnect, no BGP sessions are configured by the user—the route exchange is managed automatically by the platform. A subtle behavior is that custom static routes and dynamic routes from Cloud Router are not automatically exchanged unless explicitly configured with the 'export custom routes' option, which can lead to connectivity gaps if overlooked. In a real-world multi-project architecture, failing to export custom routes for a shared services VPC can break access to centralized resources like Cloud SQL or private GKE clusters.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Subnet routes are automatically exchanged between the peered VPCs. — Option B is correct because VPC Network Peering automatically exchanges subnet routes between the peered VPCs, enabling private IP connectivity without requiring additional route tables or VPN gateways. This route exchange is implicit once the peering connection is established, provided the networks do not have overlapping CIDR blocks.
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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Question Discussion
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