This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network implementation. 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 deployed a VPC with a public subnet and a private subnet in each of two Availability Zones. They have an Application Load Balancer (ALB) in the public subnets and EC2 instances in the private subnets. The EC2 instances need to access an external API over HTTPS. What is the MOST secure way to provide this access?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deploy a NAT Gateway in each public subnet and add a default route in the private subnet route tables pointing to the NAT Gateway.
A NATGateway in a public subnet allows outbound HTTPS traffic from private instances while preventing inbound traffic. Option A is wrong because a public IP on the instances exposes them. Option C is wrong because a VPN is for private connectivity, not internet. Option D is wrong because VPC endpoint is for specific AWS services, not external APIs.
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.
✓
Deploy a NAT Gateway in each public subnet and add a default route in the private subnet route tables pointing to the NAT Gateway.
Why this is correct
NATGateway provides outbound-only internet access securely.
Set up a VPN connection to an on-premises network that has internet access.
Why it's wrong here
Overly complex and not directly needed.
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 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 Implementation — This question tests Network Implementation — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy a NAT Gateway in each public subnet and add a default route in the private subnet route tables pointing to the NAT Gateway. — A NAT Gateway in a public subnet allows outbound HTTPS traffic from private instances while preventing inbound traffic. Option A is wrong because a public IP on the instances exposes them. Option C is wrong because a VPN is for private connectivity, not internet. Option D is wrong because VPC endpoint is for specific AWS services, not external APIs.
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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