Google Cloud Professional Cloud Security Engineer Practice Exam

To maintain private connectivity and minimize costs for on-premises hosts accessing Google Cloud APIs, what is the recommended solution?

1. Establish a direct peering connection with Google

2. Use an IPsec VPN tunnel to a VPC with Private Google Access

3. Utilize Google Cloud Interconnect for higher bandwidth

4. Use public APIs to access necessary resources

The correct answer is: Use an IPsec VPN tunnel to a VPC with Private Google Access

The recommended solution of using an IPsec VPN tunnel to a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) with Private Google Access is effective for maintaining privacy and controlling costs when on-premises hosts need to access Google Cloud APIs. This approach ensures that traffic destined for Google Cloud services remains private by utilizing a secure VPN connection. With Private Google Access enabled, on-premises workloads can access Google services over the private network without needing to go through the public internet. This minimizes exposure to potential security threats while maintaining private connectivity. Additionally, using a VPN can typically be more cost-effective than establishing a direct peering connection or utilizing Google Cloud Interconnect, especially for use cases with variable data transfer needs. The flexibility of VPN also allows for easier implementation and management for organizations that are primarily concerned with secure and economical access to cloud services. In contrast, the other solutions may not align with the goal of maintaining private connectivity while minimizing costs. Direct peering and Google Cloud Interconnect are more suited for high-bandwidth, consistent workloads and might involve higher setup and ongoing operational costs. Using public APIs does not ensure secure or private access, as it would expose the data transfer to potential risks on the public internet.