- A
Place the CodeBuild project in a public subnet and use a NAT gateway to route traffic to the private subnet.
Why wrong: This would not allow direct access to a private subnet; NAT is for outbound traffic.
- B
Configure the CodeBuild project to use a custom VPC with the appropriate subnet and security group.
CodeBuild supports launching in a VPC, allowing access to resources in that VPC.
- C
Set up a VPC peering connection between the CodeBuild VPC and the database VPC.
Why wrong: CodeBuild does not have its own VPC; it runs in a managed environment unless custom VPC is configured.
- D
Create a VPC endpoint for the database service and attach it to the CodeBuild project.
Why wrong: VPC endpoints are for AWS services like S3, not for RDS databases.
Question 83 of 1,616
How to Configure AWS CodeBuild to Access a Database in a Private VPC Subnet
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is using AWS CodePipeline to automate their CI/CD pipeline. The pipeline includes a stage that runs a set of integration tests using AWS CodeBuild. The tests require access to a database running on a private subnet in a VPC. The CodeBuild project is configured to use a managed compute image. How can the CodeBuild project access the database?
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
✓
Configure the CodeBuild project to use a custom VPC with the appropriate subnet and security group.
Option B is correct because CodeBuild projects using managed compute images run in an AWS-managed VPC by default, which cannot access resources in a customer VPC. By configuring the CodeBuild project to use a custom VPC with the appropriate subnet and security group, the build environment is launched directly into that VPC, enabling it to reach the database on the private subnet without needing a NAT gateway or internet access.
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.
- ✗
Place the CodeBuild project in a public subnet and use a NAT gateway to route traffic to the private subnet.
Why it's wrong here
This would not allow direct access to a private subnet; NAT is for outbound traffic.
- ✓
Configure the CodeBuild project to use a custom VPC with the appropriate subnet and security group.
Why this is correct
CodeBuild supports launching in a VPC, allowing access to resources in that VPC.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Set up a VPC peering connection between the CodeBuild VPC and the database VPC.
Why it's wrong here
CodeBuild does not have its own VPC; it runs in a managed environment unless custom VPC is configured.
- ✗
Create a VPC endpoint for the database service and attach it to the CodeBuild project.
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoints are for AWS services like S3, not for RDS databases.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a NAT gateway or VPC peering is required to bridge network boundaries, but they overlook that CodeBuild's default environment is isolated from the customer VPC, and the correct solution is to launch the build directly into the customer VPC using a custom VPC configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When you configure a CodeBuild project with a custom VPC, CodeBuild creates an elastic network interface (ENI) in the specified subnet and assigns it to the build container, allowing the container to communicate with resources in that VPC using standard IP routing. The security group attached to the ENI must allow outbound traffic to the database port (e.g., 3306 for MySQL, 5432 for PostgreSQL), and the database's security group must allow inbound traffic from that security group. This setup avoids the need for public IPs or internet gateways, keeping traffic within the VPC.
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
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the CodeBuild project to use a custom VPC with the appropriate subnet and security group. — Option B is correct because CodeBuild projects using managed compute images run in an AWS-managed VPC by default, which cannot access resources in a customer VPC. By configuring the CodeBuild project to use a custom VPC with the appropriate subnet and security group, the build environment is launched directly into that VPC, enabling it to reach the database on the private subnet without needing a NAT gateway or internet access.
What should I do if I get this DVA-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: Jul 4, 2026
This DVA-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 DVA-C02 exam.
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