CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
A company wants to create a hybrid cloud architecture where their on-premises applications can access AWS services as if they were running locally. Which AWS service extends AWS infrastructure and services to on-premises locations?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse AWS Direct Connect or VPN as the solution for extending AWS services on-premises, but those only provide network connectivity, not the actual deployment of AWS infrastructure locally.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Outposts
AWS Outposts is the correct answer because it is a fully managed service that extends AWS infrastructure, services, APIs, and tools to virtually any on-premises or edge location. This allows customers to run AWS services locally, enabling a true hybrid cloud experience where on-premises applications can access AWS services with low latency and local data processing, as if they were running in an AWS Region.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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AWS Direct Connect
Why it's wrong here
AWS Direct Connect establishes a dedicated physical network connection from your on-premises data center to an AWS Region, bypassing the public internet for higher bandwidth, lower latency, and more consistent performance. Yet this private link only serves as a transport mechanism for data traffic; all AWS compute and storage services remain running exclusively in AWS data centers, not on your premises. Direct Connect therefore enhances network connectivity but does not extend the AWS cloud footprint to your local infrastructure, so it cannot be the correct answer.
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AWS VPN
Why it's wrong here
AWS VPN creates encrypted IPsec tunnels over the public internet, allowing you to securely connect your on-premises network to AWS VPCs. However, it only provides a network path for data transmission; it does not place any AWS compute, storage, or other services inside your facility. As a result, AWS VPN is merely a hybrid connectivity option, not a way to extend AWS infrastructure to on-premises locations, so it does not meet the requirement.
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AWS Outposts
Why this is correct
AWS Outposts is a fully managed service that physically installs AWS-designed racks of compute and storage hardware in your own data center or co-location facility. These racks run the same AWS APIs, tools, and management console as an AWS Region, effectively extending AWS infrastructure to your on-premises site for ultra-low latency and local data residency needs. Since Outposts brings AWS services directly to your location with local operation, it is the only option here that genuinely extends AWS infrastructure to your premises.
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AWS Local Zones
Why it's wrong here
AWS Local Zones are AWS-managed data centers placed in metropolitan areas specifically to deliver single-digit-millisecond latency for latency-sensitive applications like media rendering or gaming. Although they extend AWS infrastructure closer to end users, they are still operated and housed in AWS-owned facilities, completely separate from any customer on-premises environment. Thus, while Local Zones improve proximity for consumers, they do not extend AWS services into your own data center, making them incorrect for this scenario.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CLF-C02 exam.