This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network implementation. 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 has a Direct Connect connection with a single private virtual interface (VIF) to a virtual private gateway (VGW) attached to a VPC. The VPC CIDR is 10.0.0.0/16. The on-premises CIDR is 172.16.0.0/12. The BGP session is established, and the on-premises router is advertising the 172.16.0.0/12 route to the VGW. The VGW is configured to propagate routes to the VPC route tables. However, instances in the VPC cannot reach on-premises resources. The VPC route table shows a propagated route for 172.16.0.0/12 with a target of the VGW. What is the most likely issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The on-premises router does not have a route to the VPC CIDR via the Direct Connect interface
Option C is correct because the on-premises router must also have a route back to the VPC CIDR via the Direct Connect interface. Option A is wrong because the VPC route table has the route. Option B is wrong because the BGP session is established. Option D is wrong because security groups are stateful and outbound traffic is allowed by default.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The security groups for the VPC instances do not allow outbound traffic to the on-premises network
Why it's wrong here
Security groups allow outbound by default.
✗
The VPC route table does not have a route for the on-premises CIDR
Why it's wrong here
The route is present.
✓
The on-premises router does not have a route to the VPC CIDR via the Direct Connect interface
Why this is correct
Without a return route, traffic cannot reach the VPC.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
The BGP session is not advertising the VPC CIDR to the on-premises router
Why it's wrong here
The issue is likely the return path.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related ANS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Network Implementation — This question tests Network Implementation — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The on-premises router does not have a route to the VPC CIDR via the Direct Connect interface — Option C is correct because the on-premises router must also have a route back to the VPC CIDR via the Direct Connect interface. Option A is wrong because the VPC route table has the route. Option B is wrong because the BGP session is established. Option D is wrong because security groups are stateful and outbound traffic is allowed by default.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related ANS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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