- A
Place the RDS instances behind an internal Network Load Balancer and configure the application to connect to the NLB's DNS name
Why wrong: RDS Multi-AZ already provides a DNS name that handles failover; an NLB adds unnecessary complexity.
- B
Create the RDS instance in the public subnet and restrict access using a security group that allows traffic from the private subnet
Why wrong: Placing a database in a public subnet is a security risk.
- C
Configure the application to use the IP address of the primary RDS instance and update the application when failover occurs
Why wrong: Using IP addresses is not scalable and requires manual updates during failover.
- D
Create a DB subnet group with subnets in two Availability Zones, launch the RDS instance with Multi-AZ enabled, and configure the application to connect to the RDS endpoint DNS name
Multi-AZ provides automatic failover; the DNS endpoint handles the switch.
ANS-C01 Network Design Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network design. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 VPC with a CIDR block of 10.0.0.0/16. They have two subnets: a public subnet (10.0.1.0/24) and a private subnet (10.0.2.0/24). The public subnet has an internet gateway attached, and the private subnet has a NAT Gateway in the public subnet for outbound internet access. The company is deploying an Amazon RDS for MySQL database in a Multi-AZ configuration. The database should be accessible only from the application servers running in the private subnet. The company wants to ensure that the database is highly available and that failover does not require any changes to the application. Which networking configuration should they use?
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
Create a DB subnet group with subnets in two Availability Zones, launch the RDS instance with Multi-AZ enabled, and configure the application to connect to the RDS endpoint DNS name
Option D is correct because creating a DB subnet group with subnets in two Availability Zones and enabling Multi-AZ on the RDS instance ensures automatic failover to a standby in another AZ. The application connects to the RDS endpoint DNS name, which automatically points to the current primary instance, so no application changes are needed during failover. This satisfies the high availability and access requirements while keeping the database in private subnets.
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 RDS instances behind an internal Network Load Balancer and configure the application to connect to the NLB's DNS name
Why it's wrong here
RDS Multi-AZ already provides a DNS name that handles failover; an NLB adds unnecessary complexity.
- ✗
Create the RDS instance in the public subnet and restrict access using a security group that allows traffic from the private subnet
Why it's wrong here
Placing a database in a public subnet is a security risk.
- ✗
Configure the application to use the IP address of the primary RDS instance and update the application when failover occurs
Why it's wrong here
Using IP addresses is not scalable and requires manual updates during failover.
- ✓
Create a DB subnet group with subnets in two Availability Zones, launch the RDS instance with Multi-AZ enabled, and configure the application to connect to the RDS endpoint DNS name
Why this is correct
Multi-AZ provides automatic failover; the DNS endpoint handles the switch.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think an internal NLB is needed for high availability with RDS, but RDS Multi-AZ already handles failover via DNS, making the NLB redundant and incorrect for this scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RDS Multi-AZ uses synchronous replication to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone, and failover is automatic with a DNS CNAME update that typically takes 60-120 seconds. The DB subnet group must include subnets from at least two AZs to allow RDS to provision the primary and standby instances; if only one AZ is specified, Multi-AZ cannot be enabled. The RDS endpoint DNS name resolves to the primary instance's private IP, and after failover, the DNS record is updated to point to the new primary, so applications using the endpoint experience minimal disruption.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a DB subnet group with subnets in two Availability Zones, launch the RDS instance with Multi-AZ enabled, and configure the application to connect to the RDS endpoint DNS name — Option D is correct because creating a DB subnet group with subnets in two Availability Zones and enabling Multi-AZ on the RDS instance ensures automatic failover to a standby in another AZ. The application connects to the RDS endpoint DNS name, which automatically points to the current primary instance, so no application changes are needed during failover. This satisfies the high availability and access requirements while keeping the database in private subnets.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 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 24, 2026
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