What is the ideal approach to migrate a web application to Google Cloud while ensuring security for company employees traveling?

Setting up a proxy that only allows authenticated traffic is the ideal approach for migrating a web application to Google Cloud while ensuring the security of company employees who are traveling. This method provides a secure layer that filters all incoming requests, allowing only those that have been authenticated to reach the application. By directing all access through a proxy, organizations can enforce security policies, including the verification of user identities and the application of specific access controls, which is critical when dealing with employees who may be accessing the application from various locations, potentially over insecure networks.

This setup not only helps to safeguard sensitive company data but also simplifies the process of managing user authentication centrally, making it easier to address any security concerns or compliance requirements. The proxy can also be integrated with other security services, such as Web Application Firewalls (WAF), to enhance protection against common web threats.

In contrast, checking authentication credentials for each request, while it does improve security, can lead to performance inefficiencies, especially if the application expects a high volume of traffic, as it may not scale well under load. Creating a dedicated public-facing instance can expose the application to unnecessary risks and lack of control over user access. Implementing a reverse proxy mainly focuses on load balancing, which might improve performance but doesn't