GCP Cloud NAT Config Builder

About This Tool

The GCP Cloud NAT Config Builder helps you configure Cloud NAT gateways for providing outbound internet connectivity to private GCP resources. Cloud NAT enables VMs without external IP addresses, GKE nodes, and serverless VPC access connectors to reach the internet for software updates, API calls, and other outbound traffic. This tool guides you through selecting subnets, IP allocation, port allocation, and logging settings to generate the NAT gateway configuration.

When to Use This Tool

• •Configure Cloud NAT for a private GKE cluster that needs outbound access for pulling container images and reaching external APIs.
• •Build NAT configurations with static IP addresses for whitelisting outbound traffic with external partners or APIs.
• •Set up port allocation and endpoint-independent mapping for applications that require many concurrent outbound connections.
• •Configure NAT logging to monitor outbound traffic patterns and troubleshoot connectivity issues from private instances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cloud NAT support inbound connections?

No. Cloud NAT provides outbound (egress) internet access only. For inbound traffic to private resources, use Cloud Load Balancing, IAP (Identity-Aware Proxy), or VPN/Interconnect. Cloud NAT is specifically designed to enable private resources to initiate outbound connections.

How does Cloud NAT handle IP address allocation?

Cloud NAT can automatically allocate regional external IP addresses or use manually assigned static IPs. Automatic allocation adjusts to traffic volume, while static IPs are needed when external systems require a known, whitelistable IP range. Each NAT IP supports approximately 64,000 concurrent connections.