This course helps learners create a study plan for the PCNE (Professional Cloud Network Engineer) certification exam. Learners explore the breadth and scope of the domains covered in the exam. Learners assess their exam readiness and create their individual study plan.

What you'll learn

• Describe the domains covered on the Professional Cloud Network Engineer Certification exam.
• Identify gaps in your knowledge and skills for each domain and create a study plan.

Target Audience

Customers, Partners, Googlers

Prerequisites

3+ years industry experience, including 1+ years designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud

Products

Cloud Armor, Cloud CDN, Cloud Console, Cloud DNS, Cloud Deployment Manager, Cloud IAM, Cloud Interconnect, Cloud Load Balancing, Cloud Shell, Network Ser vice Tiers, Networking, VPC

Not covered

This course is intended to help learners prepare a study plan. Detailed coverage of networking products and techniques are not covered here. Learners are referred to existing training and documentation for product details

Course Modules

Module 0: PCNE certification

• Role of a Professional Cloud Network Engineer
• Introduction to a sample infrastructure scenario that is used throughout the course
• Certification process

Objectives

• Describe the purpose and benefits of the PCNE certification.
• Explain the certification process.
• Create a study plan for designing, planning, and prototyping a Google Cloud network.

Module 1: Designing, planning, and prototyping a Google Cloud Network

Within the context of the sample scenario:

• Describe how Load Balancing will be used for general users accessing resources from the internet as well as internal users accessing from private connected networks. 
• Describe how Cloud CDN, Armor and NAT will be configured and the benefits they will provide, and used and how Cloud DNS will be integrated with an on-premise DNS system. 
• Describe how packet mirroring will be used for periodic network forensic audit.

Objectives

• Explain the considerations involved in designing an overall network architecture.
• Identify considerations for designing a VPC, a hybrid or multi-cloud network, or an IP addressing plan for GKE.
• Determine the skills you need to develop to effectively design, plan, and prototype a Google Cloud network.

Module 2: Implementing a VPC

Within the context of the sample scenario:

• Assuming Kubernetes clusters will be used in all the networks, describe how IP addresses will be distributed among them. 
• Describe the sort of interconnections will be added between Google Cloud and external environments and how the routing will be configured for them. 
• Describe how the network will be secured with firewall rules and VPC Service Controls

Objectives

• Identify the tasks involved in configuring VPCs, configuring routing, and configuring and maintaining GKE clusters.
• Describe considerations for configuring firewalls and implementing VPC Service Controls.
• Determine the skills you need to develop related to implementing a VPC

Module 3: Configuring network services

Within the context of the sample scenario:

• Describe how Load Balancing will be used for general users accessing resources from the internet as well as internal users accessing from private connected networks. 
• Describe how Cloud CDN, Armor and NAT will be configured and the benefits they will provide, and used and how Cloud DNS will be integrated with an on-premise DNS system. 
• Describe how packet mirroring will be used for periodic network forensic audit

Objectives

• Identify considerations involved in configuring load balancing.
• Describe the scope of tasks to configure Cloud Armor policies, Cloud CDN, Cloud DNS, Cloud NAT, and network packet inspection.

Module 4: Implementing hybrid connectivity

• Within the context of the sample scenario: describe the details of the VPN and Interconnect links between Google Cloud VPCs and on-premise or other cloud networks

Objectives

• Describe how to configure Google Cloud Interconnect, a site-to-site IPsec VPN, and Cloud Router. 
• Determine the skills you need to develop to ensure successful implementation of hybrid interconnectivity.

Module 5: Managing, monitoring, and optimizing network operations

Within the context of the sample scenario: 

• Describe the network troubleshooting and debugging process.
• Describe the troubleshooting process using Cloud Logging and Monitoring and Network Intelligence Center.

Objectives

• Describe options for logging and monitoring with Google Cloud’s operations suite.
• Explain tasks involved in managing and maintaining security.
• Identify considerations for maintaining and troubleshooting connectivity issues, latency, and traffic flow.
• Determine the skills you need to develop to manage and optimize network operations with Google Cloud.

Module 6: Your next steps

• Based on domain knowledge deficiencies noted after answering the diagnostic questions, construct a weekly study plan

Objectives

• Create a weekly study plan.
• Set weekly study goals.
• Register for the Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam.