- A
NAT Gateway
Why wrong: A NAT Gateway allows instances in private subnets to initiate outbound internet connections but does not allow inbound connections from the internet. Public subnets use an Internet Gateway, not a NAT Gateway.
- B
VPC Peering connection
Why wrong: VPC peering connects two VPCs for private communication. It does not provide internet connectivity.
- C
Internet Gateway
An Internet Gateway enables instances in public subnets to communicate bidirectionally with the internet. The subnet's route table must direct 0.0.0.0/0 traffic to the IGW for instances with public IPs to be reachable from the internet.
- D
Virtual Private Gateway
Why wrong: A Virtual Private Gateway is the VPN endpoint on the AWS side for connecting to on-premises networks via VPN. It does not provide public internet connectivity.
Quick Answer
The answer is the Internet Gateway (IGW). An IGW is a horizontally scaled, redundant VPC component that provides a target in the route table for both inbound and outbound internet traffic, enabling EC2 instances in a public subnet to directly communicate with the internet in both directions. Without an IGW attached to the VPC and a route pointing 0.0.0.0/0 to it, instances cannot receive inbound requests or make outbound requests, even if they have public IP addresses. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this distinction between an internet gateway and a NAT gateway is a common trap: a NAT gateway only supports outbound traffic from private subnets, not bidirectional communication. The exam tests whether you know that public subnet internet access requires an IGW, not a NAT gateway. Memory tip: think “IGW = Inbound + Outbound, NAT = Outbound only.”
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company launches EC2 instances in a public subnet of their VPC. For these instances to communicate directly with the internet — both to receive inbound requests and to make outbound requests — which VPC component must be attached to the VPC and referenced in the subnet's route table?
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
Internet Gateway
An Internet Gateway (IGW) is a horizontally scaled, redundant VPC component that enables communication between a VPC and the internet. For EC2 instances in a public subnet to both receive inbound requests and make outbound requests, the IGW must be attached to the VPC and a route in the subnet's route table must point 0.0.0.0/0 (or a specific public IP range) to the IGW. Without the IGW, the instances have no path to the internet, even if they have public IP addresses.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
NAT Gateway
- ✗
VPC Peering connection
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering connects two VPCs for private communication. It does not provide internet connectivity.
- ✓
Internet Gateway
Why this is correct
An Internet Gateway enables instances in public subnets to communicate bidirectionally with the internet. The subnet's route table must direct 0.0.0.0/0 traffic to the IGW for instances with public IPs to be reachable from the internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Virtual Private Gateway
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a NAT Gateway with an Internet Gateway, mistakenly thinking a NAT Gateway alone can provide bidirectional internet access, when in fact a NAT Gateway only supports outbound traffic and requires an IGW for internet connectivity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When an EC2 instance in a public subnet sends traffic to the internet, the IGW performs 1-to-1 NAT, mapping the instance's private IP to its associated Elastic IP or public IP. The IGW also handles inbound traffic by translating the destination public IP back to the private IP of the instance. A common subtlety is that the subnet's route table must explicitly have a default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to the IGW; otherwise, even with a public IP, the instance cannot reach the internet.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Internet Gateway — An Internet Gateway (IGW) is a horizontally scaled, redundant VPC component that enables communication between a VPC and the internet. For EC2 instances in a public subnet to both receive inbound requests and make outbound requests, the IGW must be attached to the VPC and a route in the subnet's route table must point 0.0.0.0/0 (or a specific public IP range) to the IGW. Without the IGW, the instances have no path to the internet, even if they have public IP addresses.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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