The answer is a route in the private subnet’s route table pointing to the NAT Gateway, along with the NAT Gateway itself. This works because the NAT Gateway, placed in a public subnet with an Elastic IP, translates private source IPs to its own public IP for outbound traffic, while the route table entry (0.0.0.0/0 → NAT Gateway) directs that traffic out. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to enable outbound internet access for private subnets without exposing them to inbound connections—a core concept for secure VPC design. A common trap is confusing the Internet Gateway (which is for public subnets) with the NAT Gateway; remember that an IGW allows bidirectional traffic, while a NAT Gateway only permits outbound-initiated responses. For a quick memory tip: think “NAT for out, IGW for in-out”—private subnets need a NAT to reach the internet, not an IGW.
ANS-C01 Network Management and Operations Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network management and operations. 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 has a VPC with public and private subnets. They want to allow instances in the private subnet to download software updates from the internet while blocking inbound internet traffic. Which TWO components are required? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A NAT Gateway in a public subnet.
Option A is correct because a NATGateway provides outbound internet access to instances in private subnets. Option D is correct because the private subnet's route table must have a route to the NAT Gateway for internet-bound traffic. Option B is wrong because an Internet Gateway is used for public subnets, not private. Option C is wrong because a Virtual Private Gateway is for VPN connections. Option E is wrong because a VPC Peering connection connects VPCs, not to the internet.
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.
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 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.
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 Management and Operations — This question tests Network Management and Operations — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A NAT Gateway in a public subnet. — Option A is correct because a NAT Gateway provides outbound internet access to instances in private subnets. Option D is correct because the private subnet's route table must have a route to the NAT Gateway for internet-bound traffic. Option B is wrong because an Internet Gateway is used for public subnets, not private. Option C is wrong because a Virtual Private Gateway is for VPN connections. Option E is wrong because a VPC Peering connection connects VPCs, not to the internet.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Question Discussion
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