TOPIC:

having trouble finding in the documentation references to 8.8.8.8

i did read this part though.

IP Address of Ethernet Switch on Management
Network or some other reliable IP that is accessed
by traversing the management network

So realistically could this be the ip of my default gateway or something that i know is always up. Does it just see this ip as a reference point or something?

Yes. IP address of a router on the same subnet is OK.