- A
Cloud NAT provides inbound port forwarding to instances.
Why wrong: Inbound port forwarding is not a feature of Cloud NAT; use load balancers or forwarding rules.
- B
Cloud NAT can be used to enable connectivity between VPC networks via VPN.
Why wrong: Cloud NAT is for internet access; VPN connectivity is handled by Cloud VPN.
- C
Instances without external IP addresses can connect to the internet.
Cloud NAT enables outbound-only internet access for private instances.
- D
Inbound connections from the internet are blocked unless explicitly allowed.
Cloud NAT does not allow inbound connections; it translates private IPs to a public IP for outbound traffic only.
- E
Cloud NAT automatically provides high availability across zones.
Why wrong: You must configure NAT in multiple zones for HA.
PCSE Configuring network security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network security. 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.
Which TWO of the following are benefits of using Cloud NAT? (Choose TWO.)
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
Instances without external IP addresses can connect to the internet.
Cloud NAT allows instances without external IP addresses to initiate outbound connections to the internet, translating their private IPs to a single public IP or a range. This is a core benefit because it enables secure outbound internet access without exposing instances to inbound traffic.
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.
- ✗
Cloud NAT provides inbound port forwarding to instances.
Why it's wrong here
Inbound port forwarding is not a feature of Cloud NAT; use load balancers or forwarding rules.
- ✗
Cloud NAT can be used to enable connectivity between VPC networks via VPN.
- ✓
Instances without external IP addresses can connect to the internet.
Why this is correct
Cloud NAT enables outbound-only internet access for private instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Inbound connections from the internet are blocked unless explicitly allowed.
- ✗
Cloud NAT automatically provides high availability across zones.
Why it's wrong here
You must configure NAT in multiple zones for HA.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that Cloud NAT provides inbound port forwarding or automatic high availability, but in reality it is strictly an outbound SNAT service that requires manual configuration for redundancy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud NAT uses source network address translation (SNAT) to map private RFC 1918 addresses to a single external IP or a pool of IPs, and it relies on Cloud Router to dynamically learn routes. A subtle behavior is that Cloud NAT only supports TCP, UDP, and ICMP; other protocols like ESP or GRE are not translated. In a real-world scenario, if you have a private GKE cluster with nodes lacking external IPs, Cloud NAT enables them to pull container images from Docker Hub or access external APIs without exposing the cluster to inbound threats.
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.
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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: Instances without external IP addresses can connect to the internet. — Cloud NAT allows instances without external IP addresses to initiate outbound connections to the internet, translating their private IPs to a single public IP or a range. This is a core benefit because it enables secure outbound internet access without exposing instances to inbound traffic.
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.
About these practice questions
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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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