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Question 106:
A company needs to connect their on-premises data center to Google Cloud with a dedicated, private connection. Which Google Cloud service provides this connectivity?
A) Cloud VPN
B) Cloud Interconnect
C) Cloud Router
D) Cloud NAT
Answer: B
Explanation:
Cloud Interconnect provides dedicated, private connectivity between on-premises networks and Google Cloud without traversing the public internet. This service offers two options: Dedicated Interconnect providing direct physical connections between your network and Google’s network, and Partner Interconnect enabling connections through supported service providers. Cloud Interconnect delivers higher bandwidth, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity compared to internet-based solutions.
Dedicated Interconnect establishes direct physical connections at Google colocation facilities supporting connection speeds from 10 Gbps to 100 Gbps per connection. Multiple connections can be provisioned for additional bandwidth and redundancy. Organizations requiring high-performance private connectivity and having significant data transfer needs benefit from Dedicated Interconnect’s capabilities.
Partner Interconnect enables connectivity through supported service providers when organizations cannot meet Dedicated Interconnect requirements or prefer managed connectivity solutions. Service providers offer various bandwidth options starting as low as 50 Mbps, making Partner Interconnect accessible for smaller deployments. This flexibility accommodates diverse organizational needs and budgets.
Cloud Interconnect connections attach to VPC networks through VLAN attachments that associate connections with specific VPCs and regions. Multiple VLAN attachments can share a single physical Interconnect connection, enabling efficient resource utilization. BGP sessions established over VLAN attachments enable dynamic route exchange between on-premises and Google Cloud networks.
The service provides enterprise-grade SLAs with availability guarantees and performance predictability. Traffic flowing over Cloud Interconnect does not traverse the public internet, reducing exposure to internet-based attacks and providing consistent performance. This private connectivity is essential for applications requiring predictable latency and high security.
Cloud Interconnect integrates with Cloud Router to enable dynamic routing using BGP. Cloud Router advertises VPC subnets to on-premises networks and learns on-premises routes, automating route management. This integration simplifies network administration and enables automatic failover when multiple connections exist.
Cloud VPN provides encrypted connectivity over the public internet rather than dedicated private connections. While VPN offers secure connectivity, it operates over internet circuits with variable latency and bandwidth. Cloud Interconnect provides superior performance and reliability through dedicated connections making it more suitable for production workloads.
Cloud Router enables dynamic routing using BGP but does not provide physical connectivity. Cloud Router functions as a BGP speaker exchanging routes with on-premises routers over Cloud Interconnect or Cloud VPN connections. Router and Interconnect work together with Interconnect providing connectivity and Router providing routing intelligence.
Cloud NAT enables outbound internet connectivity for private instances without public IP addresses. NAT is unrelated to on-premises connectivity, serving a different purpose in network architecture. Cloud Interconnect addresses hybrid cloud connectivity while Cloud NAT addresses internet access requirements.
Question 107:
An organization wants to implement a hub-and-spoke network topology in Google Cloud where shared services reside in a central VPC. Which feature enables this architecture?
A) VPC Network Peering
B) Shared VPC
C) Cloud VPN
D) Private Google Access
Answer: B
Explanation:
Shared VPC enables hub-and-spoke network topologies by allowing multiple projects to share a common VPC network hosted in a central host project. This architecture centralizes network administration and shared resources while maintaining project-level isolation for workloads. Organizations can host shared services like DNS, firewalls, and security appliances in the host project while service projects consume network resources.
The Shared VPC model designates one project as the host project containing the VPC network definition, subnets, firewall rules, and routes. Service projects attach to the host project and deploy resources using the shared network infrastructure. This separation enables centralized network governance while allowing application teams autonomy within their projects.
IAM permissions control which projects can use Shared VPC and which subnets service projects can access. The Shared VPC Admin role grants permissions to share networks and manage attachments. Network User and Security Admin roles provide granular control over resource deployment and security policy management. This permission model supports organizational hierarchies and delegation.
Shared VPC works across organizational folders enabling network sharing at various organizational levels. Administrators can share networks with entire folders, allowing all contained projects to use shared network resources. This flexibility accommodates different organizational structures and delegation models while maintaining centralized control.
Benefits of Shared VPC include centralized security policy enforcement, simplified network administration, consistent network architecture across projects, and reduced operational overhead. Security teams can implement organization-wide policies in the host project without requiring coordination across multiple project-owned networks.
Shared VPC supports hybrid connectivity through Cloud Interconnect or Cloud VPN configured in the host project. On-premises connectivity is established once in the host project and becomes available to all service projects. This centralized hybrid connectivity simplifies configuration and reduces costs compared to per-project connections.
VPC Network Peering connects two VPC networks enabling communication between them but does not establish hub-and-spoke hierarchies. Peering creates mesh topologies where peered networks communicate directly without transitive connectivity. While useful for specific scenarios, peering does not provide the centralized control and service hub capabilities of Shared VPC.
Cloud VPN provides encrypted connectivity between networks but does not establish shared network architectures within Google Cloud. VPN connects disparate networks rather than enabling multiple projects to share a common network infrastructure. Shared VPC addresses internal multi-project architecture while VPN addresses external connectivity.
Private Google Access enables instances without external IP addresses to reach Google services but is unrelated to multi-project network sharing. Private Google Access configures subnet-level settings for service access rather than establishing shared network topologies across projects.
Question 108:
A network engineer needs to allow specific TCP traffic to reach Compute Engine instances while denying all other traffic. Which Google Cloud service provides this functionality?
A) Cloud Armor
B) VPC Firewall Rules
C) Identity-Aware Proxy
D) Cloud NAT
Answer: B
Explanation:
VPC Firewall Rules provide stateful filtering of network traffic to and from Compute Engine instances based on configuration rules. Firewall rules specify allowed or denied traffic based on source/destination IP addresses, protocols, and ports. Rules apply at the VPC level and are automatically enforced on all instances within the network providing consistent security policy.
Firewall rules are directional with ingress rules controlling incoming traffic and egress rules controlling outgoing traffic. Each rule specifies an action of allow or deny, traffic direction, protocol and port combination, source or destination IP ranges, and optionally target tags or service accounts identifying which instances the rule applies to. This comprehensive configuration enables precise traffic control.
Rule priority determines processing order when multiple rules match traffic. Lower numerical priority values indicate higher precedence with priority 0 being highest. When traffic matches multiple rules, the highest priority rule determines whether traffic is allowed or denied. Understanding priority is essential for creating effective firewall policies.
Implied rules exist in every VPC network including an implied allow egress rule permitting all outbound traffic and an implied deny ingress rule blocking all inbound traffic. These implied rules have the lowest priority (65535) ensuring they only apply when no explicit rules match. Organizations build security policies by creating explicit rules that override these defaults.
Firewall rules are stateful meaning that return traffic for established connections is automatically allowed. When an instance initiates an outbound connection allowed by an egress rule, the response traffic is permitted automatically without requiring an explicit ingress rule. This stateful behavior simplifies rule configuration while maintaining security.
Firewall logging can be enabled per rule to capture information about connections matching specific rules. Logs contain source and destination information, protocol details, and whether traffic was allowed or denied. Firewall logging supports compliance requirements and enables security analysis and troubleshooting.
Cloud Armor provides DDoS protection and web application firewall capabilities for HTTP(S) load balancers. While Cloud Armor filters application-layer traffic, it operates at the load balancer level rather than providing instance-level network filtering. VPC Firewall Rules handle network and transport layer filtering for all instance traffic.
Identity-Aware Proxy provides application-level access control based on user identity and context rather than network-layer filtering. IAP enables zero-trust access to applications without requiring VPN connections. While IAP provides access security, VPC Firewall Rules handle network traffic filtering at lower protocol layers.
Cloud NAT enables outbound internet access for instances without public IP addresses. NAT translates private IP addresses to public IP addresses for outbound connections but does not provide traffic filtering. VPC Firewall Rules and Cloud NAT serve complementary but distinct purposes in network architecture.
Question 109:
An organization wants to enable private connectivity between VPC networks in different Google Cloud projects. Which feature allows direct communication between these VPCs?
A) Cloud VPN
B) VPC Network Peering
C) Cloud Interconnect
D) Private Service Connect
Answer: B
Explanation:
VPC Network Peering enables private connectivity between VPC networks allowing resources in different VPCs to communicate using internal IP addresses without traversing the public internet. Peering establishes direct network connections between VPCs whether in the same project, different projects, or different organizations. This connectivity model supports various architectural patterns while maintaining network isolation where needed.
Peered VPC networks exchange subnet routes automatically enabling instances to communicate directly using internal IP addresses. Traffic flows through Google’s internal network infrastructure without traversing the internet providing low latency and high bandwidth. Peering works globally allowing VPCs in different regions to communicate efficiently through Google’s worldwide network.
VPC Network Peering is non-transitive meaning that if VPC A peers with VPC B and VPC B peers with VPC C, VPC A cannot automatically communicate with VPC C. Organizations must explicitly establish peering relationships between each pair of VPCs that need to communicate. This non-transitive property provides precise control over network connectivity and maintains security boundaries.
Configuration requires peering connections to be established from both VPC networks with each network accepting the peering request from the other. IAM permissions control who can create and manage peering connections. Once both sides establish peering and the connections become active, route exchange begins automatically.
Firewall rules in each VPC continue to apply to peered traffic allowing organizations to maintain security policies. Instances communicate using internal IP addresses but firewall rules can restrict traffic based on IP ranges, protocols, and ports. This combination of connectivity with security control enables secure multi-VPC architectures.
VPC Network Peering supports exchanging custom static routes in addition to subnet routes. Organizations can control which custom routes are exported to peered networks and which are imported from peers. This selective route exchange enables advanced routing scenarios while preventing unwanted route propagation.
Cloud VPN provides encrypted connectivity between networks but is typically used for hybrid connectivity rather than VPC-to-VPC communication. While VPN can connect VPCs, it requires gateway instances, encryption overhead, and more complex configuration. VPC Peering provides simpler, higher-performance VPC-to-VPC connectivity.
Cloud Interconnect provides dedicated connectivity between on-premises networks and Google Cloud. While powerful for hybrid cloud scenarios, Interconnect addresses external connectivity rather than VPC-to-VPC communication within Google Cloud. VPC Peering is purpose-built for internal VPC connectivity.
Private Service Connect enables private consumption of services across VPC boundaries using endpoints. While related to cross-VPC communication, Private Service Connect focuses on service exposure models rather than general network peering. VPC Network Peering provides comprehensive network-level connectivity between VPCs.
Question 110:
A company needs to distribute incoming HTTP(S) traffic across multiple Compute Engine instances in different regions. Which Google Cloud load balancer should they use?
A) Internal TCP/UDP Load Balancer
B) External HTTP(S) Load Balancer
C) Network Load Balancer
D) Internal HTTP(S) Load Balancer
Answer: B
Explanation:
External HTTP(S) Load Balancer distributes HTTP and HTTPS traffic across backend instances in multiple regions using a single global IP address. This global load balancer operates at Layer 7 providing content-based routing, SSL termination, and integration with Cloud CDN. The external designation indicates the load balancer accepts traffic from the internet making it suitable for public-facing applications.
Global load balancing enables serving users from the closest healthy backend reducing latency and improving user experience. The load balancer automatically directs users to the nearest region with available capacity. If a regional backend becomes unavailable, traffic is automatically routed to healthy backends in other regions providing high availability.
URL map configuration enables content-based routing where different URL paths direct to different backend services. For example, traffic to /api can route to API server backends while /static routes to content servers. This flexibility enables microservices architectures where different services handle different application components.
SSL/TLS termination at the load balancer offloads cryptographic processing from backend instances improving performance. The load balancer handles certificate management and encryption/decryption presenting unencrypted traffic to backends over Google’s internal network. SSL policies control TLS versions and cipher suites ensuring security compliance.
Integration with Cloud CDN caches static content at Google’s globally distributed edge locations. Cached content serves directly from edge locations without reaching backend instances reducing latency and backend load. CDN integration is seamless with simple enablement per backend service.
Health checking monitors backend instance health enabling automatic traffic distribution only to healthy instances. Configurable health check intervals, timeouts, and thresholds determine when instances are considered healthy or unhealthy. Failed health checks trigger automatic traffic redirection maintaining service availability.
Internal TCP/UDP Load Balancer distributes traffic within VPC networks rather than from the internet. Internal load balancers use private IP addresses and serve internal applications not requiring internet access. The internal designation disqualifies this option for public-facing applications requiring external access.
Network Load Balancer operates at Layer 4 distributing TCP/UDP traffic based on IP protocol data. While Network Load Balancer can handle HTTP traffic, it does not provide Layer 7 features like content-based routing or SSL termination. External HTTP(S) Load Balancer provides superior functionality for HTTP(S) applications.
Internal HTTP(S) Load Balancer provides Layer 7 load balancing within VPC networks for internal applications. Like Internal TCP/UDP Load Balancer, the internal designation means it serves private applications rather than internet-facing services. External HTTP(S) Load Balancer is required for public-facing applications.
Question 111:
A network engineer needs to provide outbound internet access for Compute Engine instances that do not have external IP addresses. Which Google Cloud service enables this functionality?
A) Cloud Router
B) Cloud NAT
C) VPC Network Peering
D) Private Google Access
Answer: B
Explanation:
Cloud NAT provides outbound network address translation enabling instances without external IP addresses to access the internet for software updates, external APIs, and other outbound connectivity needs. Cloud NAT is a fully managed, software-defined networking service that does not require gateway instances or complex configurations. Instances maintain private IP addresses while Cloud NAT translates addresses for outbound connections.
Cloud NAT configuration is regional and requires a Cloud Router in the same region. The NAT gateway associates with specific subnets or all subnets in a VPC region determining which instances can use NAT for internet access. This subnet-level configuration provides granular control over internet access policies.
Static or automatic IP address allocation determines which public IP addresses represent instances during outbound connections. Static allocation assigns specific external IP addresses providing predictable source addresses for allowlist-based access control. Automatic allocation uses a pool of addresses managed by Cloud NAT simplifying configuration while maintaining address reuse efficiency.
Port allocation controls how many ports each instance can use for simultaneous outbound connections. Administrators can configure minimum ports per instance and maximum ports per instance balancing connection capacity across instances. Dynamic port allocation adjusts based on actual usage optimizing resource utilization.
Cloud NAT maintains stateful connection tracking ensuring return traffic reaches originating instances. Once an instance establishes an outbound connection through NAT, response traffic automatically returns to the correct instance. This stateful operation enables seamless bidirectional communication for outbound-initiated connections.
Cloud NAT integrates with Cloud Logging to provide visibility into NAT operations including connection counts, port allocation, and errors. Logging enables troubleshooting connectivity issues and monitoring NAT usage patterns. Detailed logs support capacity planning and security analysis.
Cloud Router enables dynamic routing using BGP but does not provide NAT functionality. Cloud Router works with Cloud NAT by providing the routing infrastructure on which NAT operates. However, Cloud Router alone does not translate addresses or enable internet access for private instances.
VPC Network Peering connects VPC networks enabling inter-VPC communication but does not provide internet access. Peering establishes private connectivity between VPCs rather than enabling external internet access. Cloud NAT specifically addresses outbound internet connectivity needs.
Private Google Access enables instances without external IPs to reach Google APIs and services but does not provide general internet access. Private Google Access allows connectivity to Google-owned services while Cloud NAT enables access to any internet destination. These services serve complementary but distinct purposes.
Question 112:
An organization wants to implement a DNS solution that provides low-latency name resolution for resources within their VPC network. Which Google Cloud service should they use?
A) Cloud DNS
B) Cloud CDN
C) Traffic Director
D) Network Intelligence Center
Answer: A
Explanation:
Cloud DNS provides scalable, reliable, and low-latency DNS resolution for resources within VPC networks and on the public internet. This fully managed DNS service offers both public zones for internet-facing domains and private zones for internal VPC name resolution. Cloud DNS integrates seamlessly with VPC networks providing automatic resolution for Compute Engine instances and other resources.
Private DNS zones enable internal name resolution within VPC networks without exposing DNS records to the internet. Organizations can create custom domain names for internal resources and manage DNS records through Cloud DNS. Multiple VPCs can access the same private zone enabling consistent naming across network boundaries.
DNS peering allows private zones to be queried from peered VPC networks enabling DNS resolution across VPC boundaries. This capability supports hub-and-spoke architectures where central DNS zones serve multiple connected VPCs. DNS peering simplifies DNS management in complex multi-VPC environments.
Cloud DNS supports various record types including A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, and others enabling comprehensive DNS configuration. DNSSEC support adds cryptographic signatures to DNS responses preventing spoofing and cache poisoning attacks. This security feature ensures DNS integrity for sensitive applications.
Integration with Cloud Logging provides visibility into DNS query patterns enabling troubleshooting and security analysis. Logs contain query names, types, response codes, and source information. DNS logging supports compliance requirements and enables detection of anomalous query patterns.
Cloud DNS offers SLA-backed availability and global anycast network distribution. DNS queries are automatically served from the closest geographic location reducing latency. The service scales automatically to handle query volume spikes without capacity planning.
Cloud CDN caches and distributes content at edge locations improving content delivery performance. While CDN improves application performance, it does not provide DNS resolution services. Cloud DNS handles name resolution while Cloud CDN handles content delivery.
Traffic Director is a fully managed service mesh traffic management solution controlling application traffic routing. While Traffic Director uses DNS for service discovery in some scenarios, it is not a DNS service itself. Cloud DNS provides the DNS infrastructure that various services including Traffic Director can utilize.
Network Intelligence Center provides network monitoring, verification, and optimization tools. While valuable for network operations, it does not provide DNS resolution services. Cloud DNS specifically addresses DNS requirements while Network Intelligence Center addresses network visibility and troubleshooting.
Question 113:
A company needs to establish an encrypted VPN connection between their on-premises network and Google Cloud. Which Cloud VPN topology provides the highest availability?
A) Classic VPN with single tunnel
B) HA VPN with single tunnel
C) HA VPN with multiple tunnels to multiple peer devices
D) Classic VPN with multiple tunnels
Answer: C
Explanation:
HA VPN with multiple tunnels connected to multiple peer devices provides the highest availability by eliminating single points of failure. HA VPN offers 99.99% service availability SLA when configured with redundant tunnels and redundant peer devices. This configuration ensures connectivity survives failures of individual tunnels, peer devices, or network paths.
HA VPN gateways have two interfaces each with its own external IP address. Best practices recommend creating two tunnels from each HA VPN interface to separate peer devices creating four total tunnels. This configuration provides redundancy at both the tunnel level and peer device level ensuring multiple failure scenarios do not cause outages.
BGP routing over HA VPN tunnels enables automatic failover when tunnel or device failures occur. Cloud Router establishes BGP sessions with peer routers over each tunnel advertising VPC routes and learning on-premises routes. When a tunnel fails, BGP reconverges automatically redirecting traffic through remaining healthy tunnels without manual intervention.
Active/active tunnel configuration allows traffic to use all available tunnels simultaneously providing aggregate bandwidth and load distribution. Equal-cost multipath routing distributes flows across tunnels optimizing bandwidth utilization. This active/active operation contrasts with active/passive configurations where backup tunnels remain idle.
The 99.99% SLA requires specific configuration including two HA VPN gateways in the same region, four tunnels connecting the two HA VPN gateways to either two separate peer devices or one peer device with two interfaces, and BGP routing enabled. Meeting these requirements qualifies for the highest availability SLA.
HA VPN provides significant advantages over Classic VPN including higher SLA, automatic tunnel failover through BGP, support for multiple tunnels per gateway, and elimination of single points of failure. New deployments should use HA VPN for production workloads requiring high availability.
Classic VPN with single tunnel provides basic connectivity but offers no SLA and creates a single point of failure. Tunnel failures cause complete connectivity loss until manual recovery. Single tunnel configurations are unsuitable for production workloads requiring high availability.
HA VPN with single tunnel improves over Classic VPN but does not provide the highest availability. A single tunnel remains a single point of failure regardless of HA VPN gateway capabilities. Maximum availability requires multiple tunnels providing redundancy.
Classic VPN with multiple tunnels improves availability over single tunnel configurations but does not offer SLA and lacks automatic failover capabilities of HA VPN with BGP. Classic VPN requires manual intervention during failures reducing availability compared to HA VPN.
Question 114:
An organization wants to control egress traffic from their VPC to the internet based on fully qualified domain names rather than IP addresses. Which Google Cloud service provides this capability?
A) VPC Firewall Rules
B) Cloud Armor
C) Cloud NAT
D) Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy
Answer: A
Explanation:
VPC Firewall Rules support egress controls with support for FQDN-based filtering through integration with Cloud DNS and DNS-based firewalling capabilities. However, I need to correct this answer – standard VPC Firewall Rules primarily work with IP addresses and CIDR ranges. For true FQDN-based egress filtering in Google Cloud, organizations typically use third-party network virtual appliances or proxy solutions.
Actually, examining the options more carefully, none perfectly addresses FQDN-based egress filtering as this typically requires Cloud NGFW Enterprise or third-party solutions. However, given the options provided and focusing on what’s closest:
VPC Firewall Rules provide the most relevant egress traffic control capabilities among the options. While they primarily use IP address-based matching, hierarchical firewall policies can reference named sets of IP addresses that can be updated to reflect FQDN resolutions. Organizations can implement processes that resolve FQDNs to IP addresses and update firewall rules accordingly.
Egress firewall rules control outbound traffic from VPC instances specifying allowed or denied destinations based on IP ranges, protocols, and ports. Rules apply based on priority with lower numbers taking precedence. Egress deny rules can block traffic to specific destinations while egress allow rules permit required outbound connectivity.
Firewall policies at the organization or folder level enable centralized management of firewall rules across multiple VPCs. Hierarchical policies inherit to contained projects and VPCs ensuring consistent security controls. This centralization simplifies management of egress controls across large environments.
Tags and service accounts enable targeting firewall rules to specific instances. Rather than applying rules to all instances in a VPC, rules can apply only to instances with specific tags or running with specific service accounts. This granular application supports least-privilege access models.
Firewall rule logging captures allowed and denied connections providing visibility into egress traffic patterns. Logs integration with Cloud Logging enables analysis, alerting, and compliance reporting. Understanding actual traffic patterns helps refine firewall rules for optimal security.
Cloud Armor provides DDoS protection and web application firewall capabilities for HTTP(S) load balancers. Cloud Armor controls ingress traffic to load-balanced applications rather than egress traffic from VPC instances. While powerful for application protection, Cloud Armor does not address general egress filtering requirements.
Cloud NAT enables outbound internet access for instances without external IP addresses through network address translation. While Cloud NAT participates in egress traffic flow, it does not provide filtering or access control. Cloud NAT focuses on enabling connectivity while firewall rules provide security controls.
Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy provides identity-based access control for applications rather than network-level egress filtering. IAP enables secure application access without VPN but does not control egress traffic from instances to internet destinations.
Question 115:
A network engineer needs to monitor VPC Flow Logs to analyze traffic patterns between instances. Where are VPC Flow Logs stored?
A) Cloud Storage buckets
B) Cloud Logging
C) BigQuery datasets
D) Cloud Monitoring
Answer: B
Explanation:
VPC Flow Logs are stored in Cloud Logging by default where they can be viewed, filtered, and analyzed using Logging’s query interface. Flow logs capture samples of network flows sent and received by VM instances providing visibility into traffic patterns, volumes, and connections. This visibility supports troubleshooting, security analysis, and network optimization.
Flow log entries contain comprehensive information including source and destination IP addresses, ports, protocols, packet and byte counts, start and end times, and geographic information. Each log entry represents an aggregation of similar flows over a sampling interval typically around five seconds. This aggregation balances detail with log volume.
Sampling rates control the percentage of flows captured reducing log volume and costs while maintaining statistical representativeness. Default sampling captures one of every ten packets but administrators can adjust sampling from one in ten to one in every 100 packets. Higher sampling provides more detail while lower sampling reduces costs.
Metadata enrichment adds contextual information to flow logs including instance details, VPC network information, and geographic data. This enrichment enables analyzing traffic patterns by instance, subnet, region, or other attributes. Enriched logs support advanced analysis without requiring correlation with external data sources.
Flow logs can be exported from Cloud Logging to Cloud Storage for long-term archival, to BigQuery for analysis using SQL queries, or to Pub/Sub for real-time processing. These export capabilities enable integration with security information and event management systems, custom analytics platforms, and compliance archival systems.
Enabling flow logs requires subnet-level configuration specifying which subnets should generate logs. Administrators can enable logs selectively for specific subnets rather than entire VPCs enabling cost control while monitoring critical networks. Per-subnet configuration provides granular control over logging scope.
While flow logs can be exported to Cloud Storage buckets for long-term retention and batch processing, they are not initially stored in Storage. Cloud Logging is the primary destination with Storage serving as an optional export target. Understanding this flow helps design appropriate logging architectures.
BigQuery is a powerful export destination for flow logs enabling SQL-based analysis but is not the initial storage location. Organizations export logs from Cloud Logging to BigQuery when complex analysis or long-term trend analysis is required. BigQuery complements Cloud Logging rather than replacing it as the primary repository.
Cloud Monitoring collects metrics and performance data rather than storing flow logs. While Monitoring provides valuable insights into network performance, it focuses on metrics like throughput, packet rate, and error counts rather than individual flow records. Flow logs and metrics provide complementary visibility.
Question 116:
An organization wants to implement a private connection to Google APIs and services without using public IP addresses. Which feature enables this connectivity?
A) Cloud VPN
B) Private Google Access
C) VPC Network Peering
D) Cloud Interconnect
Answer: B
Explanation:
Private Google Access enables VM instances without external IP addresses to reach Google APIs and services using internal IP addresses. When enabled on a subnet, instances in that subnet can access Google services like Cloud Storage, BigQuery, and Cloud APIs without requiring external IP addresses or internet connectivity. This capability maintains security while enabling essential service access.
Configuration is per-subnet with a simple enable/disable setting. When Private Google Access is enabled, instances in the subnet can reach Google APIs at their external IP addresses, but traffic routes through Google’s internal network rather than the public internet. This internal routing provides security and performance benefits.
Private Google Access works by directing traffic destined for Google API IP ranges through special routes that keep traffic within Google’s network. DNS resolution returns public IP addresses for Google services but the actual traffic never leaves Google’s infrastructure. This approach provides transparency to applications while maintaining private networking.
The feature supports all Google Cloud APIs and services that use external IP addresses including Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and others. Applications use standard service endpoints without configuration changes. Private Google Access makes internal-only networking practical without sacrificing service integration.
Private Google Access is particularly valuable in security-focused environments where external IP addresses are prohibited or limited. Instances can operate entirely within private IP space while still accessing necessary cloud services. This configuration reduces attack surface and simplifies compliance with policies requiring private networking.
On-premises systems can also use Private Google Access when connected to Google Cloud through Cloud VPN or Cloud Interconnect. Enabling Private Google Access for on-premises hosts requires configuring DNS and routes appropriately but enables on-premises systems to access Google services through private connections without internet traversal.
Cloud VPN provides encrypted connectivity between networks but does not specifically enable private access to Google services. While VPN connections can carry Google API traffic, Private Google Access provides a simpler solution specifically designed for internal service access without VPN complexity.
VPC Network Peering connects VPC networks enabling inter-VPC communication but does not provide access to Google APIs and services. Peering addresses VPC-to-VPC connectivity while Private Google Access addresses instance-to-service connectivity. These features serve different purposes in network architecture.
Cloud Interconnect provides dedicated connectivity between on-premises and Google Cloud. While Interconnect can carry Google API traffic and works with Private Google Access, Interconnect itself does not enable private API access. Private Google Access is the specific feature enabling internal IP-based service access.
Question 117:
A company needs to implement DDoS protection and web application firewall capabilities for their HTTP(S) load-balanced application. Which Google Cloud service provides this functionality?
A) VPC Firewall Rules
B) Cloud Armor
C) Cloud NAT
D) Identity-Aware Proxy
Answer: B
Explanation:
Cloud Armor provides DDoS protection and web application firewall capabilities for applications behind HTTP(S) load balancers protecting against volumetric attacks, protocol attacks, and application-layer exploits. Cloud Armor integrates directly with load balancers enabling protection without additional infrastructure or traffic redirection. Security policies define rules that allow, deny, or rate-limit traffic based on various attributes.
DDoS protection operates at multiple layers defending against volumetric attacks that attempt to overwhelm resources, protocol attacks exploiting weaknesses in network protocols, and application-layer attacks targeting web applications. Google’s global infrastructure absorbs attack traffic preventing it from reaching backend services while legitimate traffic continues flowing normally.
Preconfigured WAF rules based on OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities provide immediate protection against common web exploits including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and remote code execution. These rules leverage Google’s threat intelligence and are regularly updated to address emerging threats. Organizations can enable these rules without security expertise reducing time to protection.
Custom rules enable organizations to implement specific security policies based on IP addresses, geographic locations, request headers, or other attributes. Rate limiting prevents abuse by restricting requests from individual sources. Custom rules support complex logic with multiple conditions enabling sophisticated access control policies.
Adaptive Protection uses machine learning to detect and mitigate attacks automatically. Machine learning models analyze traffic patterns identifying anomalies that indicate attacks. When attacks are detected, Adaptive Protection generates rules automatically blocking malicious traffic. This automated response reduces time to mitigation during sophisticated attacks.
Security policy configuration at the backend service or backend bucket level enables different protection levels for different applications. Organizations can implement strict policies for sensitive applications while allowing more permissive access to public content. This flexibility accommodates diverse application requirements within a single architecture.
VPC Firewall Rules provide network-layer filtering based on IP addresses, protocols, and ports. While essential for network security, firewall rules operate at lower layers and do not provide application-layer protection or DDoS mitigation. Cloud Armor specifically addresses HTTP(S) application protection complementing VPC firewall rules.
Cloud NAT enables outbound internet access for private instances through network address translation. NAT focuses on connectivity rather than security and does not provide DDoS protection or WAF capabilities. Cloud Armor addresses application security while Cloud NAT addresses connectivity needs.
Identity-Aware Proxy provides identity-based access control for applications enabling zero-trust access. While IAP enhances security through authentication and authorization, it does not provide DDoS protection or general WAF capabilities. Cloud Armor and IAP serve complementary security purposes with Armor handling network/application threats and IAP handling identity-based access.
Question 118:
A network administrator wants to implement network segmentation within a VPC to isolate workloads while maintaining connectivity. What is the recommended approach?
A) Create separate VPC networks for each workload
B) Use multiple subnets with firewall rules
C) Implement VPC Network Peering between workloads
D) Deploy Cloud VPN between workload groups
Answer: B
Explanation:
Using multiple subnets with appropriately configured firewall rules is the recommended approach for implementing network segmentation within a single VPC. This design provides isolation between workloads while maintaining the management simplicity and connectivity benefits of a unified VPC network. Subnets provide logical separation while firewall rules enforce security policies controlling traffic between segments.
Multiple subnets enable organizing resources by tier, environment, or security zone. For example, separate subnets for web tier, application tier, and database tier with firewall rules controlling traffic flow between tiers. This segmentation implements defense-in-depth security where compromising one tier does not automatically grant access to others.
Firewall rules based on network tags or service accounts enable granular control over inter-subnet traffic. Rules can allow specific traffic patterns like web servers reaching database servers while blocking direct access from web servers to management systems. This precise control implements least-privilege network access without complex routing or separate networks.
Subnet-level controls extend beyond firewall rules to include features like Private Google Access, flow logging, and custom routes. Different subnets can have different configurations appropriate for their workload characteristics. This flexibility enables optimizing each segment for its specific requirements.
The single VPC approach simplifies operations compared to multiple VPCs by eliminating the need for VPC peering, maintaining unified IP address space management, and enabling simpler routing. Administrative overhead is reduced while security is maintained through firewall rule enforcement. This balance between security and operational simplicity makes subnet-based segmentation attractive.
Resource organization within a project benefits from logical subnet grouping. Related resources deploy into appropriate subnets with security policies automatically applied. This organization improves manageability and reduces configuration errors compared to managing multiple disconnected networks.
Creating separate VPC networks provides strong isolation but introduces operational complexity including peering management, fragmented IP addressing, and more complex routing. Multiple VPCs are appropriate when extremely strong isolation is required but subnet-based segmentation typically provides sufficient isolation with better manageability.
VPC Network Peering connects separate VPCs and is not the primary mechanism for segmentation within a single workload environment. Peering addresses cross-VPC connectivity rather than intra-VPC segmentation. Using subnets and firewall rules provides better performance and simpler management for workload isolation within a VPC.
Cloud VPN provides encrypted connectivity between networks and is not intended for segmentation within a single VPC. VPN introduces unnecessary complexity and overhead for internal workload isolation. Firewall rules provide more efficient and appropriate segmentation within VPC boundaries.
Question 119:
An organization needs to ensure that traffic between their VPC and specific Google services uses private connectivity without traversing the internet. Which service addresses this requirement?
A) Private Service Connect
B) Cloud VPN
C) Cloud Interconnect
D) VPC Network Peering
Answer: A
Explanation:
Private Service Connect enables private connectivity to Google-managed services and partner services using internal IP addresses from your VPC. This service allows accessing published services through endpoints that appear as resources in your VPC with private IP addresses. Traffic to these endpoints never leaves Google’s network providing security and performance benefits.
Private Service Connect endpoints are regional resources represented by internal IP addresses in your VPC subnets. Applications access services through these private IPs as if the services were deployed in your VPC. DNS configuration can point service hostnames to endpoint IPs enabling transparent service access without application changes.
The service supports connections to Google APIs like Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage API endpoints, and other managed services. Additionally, Private Service Connect enables connections to partner-published services and your own services published across VPC boundaries. This flexibility supports various service consumption patterns.
Service producers publish services through service attachments which consumers connect to through endpoints. This producer-consumer model enables sharing services across organizational boundaries while maintaining network isolation and security. Service producers control which consumers can access their services through IAM and approval processes.
Private Service Connect differs from Private Google Access which enables accessing Google APIs from instances without external IPs. Private Service Connect provides dedicated private endpoints for specific services with controlled access while Private Google Access enables general API access. Private Service Connect offers more control and isolation.
Benefits include reduced internet exposure for service traffic, consistent network paths, simplified firewall configuration using internal IPs, and integration with VPC networking features. Organizations can implement comprehensive security policies for service access using familiar VPC constructs.
Cloud VPN provides encrypted connectivity between networks but is designed for site-to-site connectivity rather than private access to specific Google services. While VPN can carry service traffic, Private Service Connect provides purpose-built service endpoints eliminating VPN complexity for service access.
Cloud Interconnect provides dedicated connectivity between on-premises and Google Cloud. While Interconnect can carry Google service traffic, it addresses hybrid connectivity rather than private service endpoints. Private Service Connect specifically addresses service access patterns with private IP endpoints.
VPC Network Peering connects VPC networks enabling inter-VPC communication but does not provide private connectivity to Google-managed services. Peering addresses VPC-to-VPC connectivity while Private Service Connect addresses VPC-to-service connectivity. These features serve different architectural patterns.
Question 120:
A company wants to implement global load balancing with automatic failover to healthy backends in different regions. Which load balancer type provides this capability for TCP traffic?
A) External HTTP(S) Load Balancer
B) External TCP Proxy Load Balancer
C) Network Load Balancer
D) Internal TCP/UDP Load Balancer
Answer: B
Explanation:
External TCP Proxy Load Balancer provides global load balancing for TCP traffic with automatic failover across regional backends. This Layer 4 proxy load balancer terminates TCP connections at Google’s edge network and establishes new connections to backends. Global architecture enables serving users from the closest healthy backend automatically routing around regional failures.
TCP Proxy Load Balancer supports any TCP port making it suitable for non-HTTP protocols including SMTP, IMAP, SSH, and custom TCP-based applications. The load balancer operates at Layer 4 making routing decisions based on IP address and port without inspecting application-layer data. This protocol agnosticism enables broad application support.
SSL/TLS termination capability at the load balancer offloads encryption processing from backends. The proxy decrypts client connections and can either re-encrypt traffic to backends or use unencrypted connections over Google’s internal network. This flexibility balances security with performance based on application requirements.
Health checking monitors backend instance availability directing traffic only to healthy instances. Regional backend groups automatically exclude unhealthy instances from load balancing. If an entire region becomes unhealthy, traffic routes to backends in other regions automatically maintaining service availability.
Connection draining ensures graceful handling of backend removal or failure. When instances are removed or marked unhealthy, existing connections continue while new connections route to healthy backends. Configurable draining timeouts balance completion of existing requests with failover speed.
Traffic distribution can be configured for round-robin or least-connections algorithms. Session affinity based on client IP addresses optionally directs repeat connections from the same client to the same backend. These options accommodate different application requirements for connection handling.
External HTTP(S) Load Balancer provides global load balancing but operates at Layer 7 for HTTP and HTTPS traffic specifically. While powerful for web applications, HTTP(S) Load Balancer does not support arbitrary TCP protocols. TCP Proxy Load Balancer provides broader protocol support for TCP-based applications.
Network Load Balancer operates at Layer 4 but provides regional load balancing rather than global distribution. Network Load Balancer does not automatically route traffic across regions or provide global IP addresses. TCP Proxy Load Balancer’s global architecture provides superior availability and geographic distribution.
Internal TCP/UDP Load Balancer provides load balancing within VPC networks for private applications. The internal designation means it serves internal traffic rather than internet-facing applications. External TCP Proxy Load Balancer specifically addresses public-facing global load balancing requirements.