Question 1

What's the difference between a VPC Network and a subnet in Google Cloud?

Accepted Answer

A VPC network is the top-level private network container. Subnets are smaller IP ranges inside the VPC where you place resources like Compute Engine VMs or GKE nodes. In Google Cloud, the VPC is global, but subnets are regional—so you create subnets in specific regions and connect them through the same VPC.

Question 2

When should I use a VPC Network?

Accepted Answer

Use a VPC network whenever you need private, controlled networking for cloud resources—especially if you want to (1) isolate environments (prod vs. dev), (2) control inbound/outbound traffic with firewall rules, (3) connect to on-premises networks via VPN or Dedicated Interconnect, (4) use private IPs for internal services, or (5) build multi-region architectures where resources communicate securely across regions.

Question 3

How much does a VPC Network cost in Google Cloud?

Accepted Answer

Creating a VPC network and subnets generally has no direct hourly charge, but you pay for what you use on top of it. Common cost drivers include network egress (traffic leaving a region or leaving Google Cloud), Cloud VPN or Dedicated Interconnect charges, NAT gateway usage (Cloud NAT), load balancers, and any paid security/network services you attach. Costs depend heavily on traffic volume, regions, and whether traffic goes to the internet, other regions, or other clouds.

VPC Network

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