The correct answer involves enabling SSL/TLS encryption for the RDS connection and using the RDS endpoint that resolves to a private IP within the same VPC. This ensures RDS encryption in transit within VPC by forcing all traffic between the web tier and database tier to use TLS, while the private DNS resolution keeps data from ever traversing the internet. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that encryption in transit is a client-side configuration (not a VPC feature) and that RDS endpoints automatically provide private IPs without needing a VPC Endpoint or Elastic IP. A common trap is confusing VPC Endpoints (for services like S3) with RDS endpoints, or assuming a VPN is required for intra-VPC traffic. Memory tip: “Private DNS + TLS = secure transit without the internet.”
ANS-C01 Network Implementation Practice Question
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 is deploying a multi-tier web application across multiple Availability Zones in a VPC. The architecture includes public-facing Application Load Balancers, Amazon EC2 instances in private subnets, and an Amazon RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ DB instance. To meet compliance requirements, all traffic between the web tier and database tier must be encrypted and must not traverse the internet. Which TWO actions should the company take to implement this securely? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable SSL/TLS encryption on the RDS DB instance and configure the web servers to connect using SSL.
Option A is correct because enabling encryption in transit with SSL/TLS between web tier and RDS MySQL encrypts the traffic. Option C is correct because using an RDS endpoint within the same VPC ensures traffic does not traverse the internet. Option B is incorrect because RDS instances do not have Elastic IPs in private subnets. Option D is incorrect because an RDS endpoint already provides a private IP within the VPC; a VPC endpoint is for services like S3. Option E is incorrect because a VPN connection is not needed for traffic within the same VPC.
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.
✗
Establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN between the web tier subnets and the database subnet.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary for within-VPC traffic.
✗
Create a VPC endpoint for Amazon RDS and route database traffic through it.
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoints are for AWS services like S3, not for RDS within same VPC.
✓
Enable SSL/TLS encryption on the RDS DB instance and configure the web servers to connect using SSL.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Enable SSL/TLS encryption on the RDS DB instance and configure the web servers to connect using SSL. — Option A is correct because enabling encryption in transit with SSL/TLS between web tier and RDS MySQL encrypts the traffic. Option C is correct because using an RDS endpoint within the same VPC ensures traffic does not traverse the internet. Option B is incorrect because RDS instances do not have Elastic IPs in private subnets. Option D is incorrect because an RDS endpoint already provides a private IP within the VPC; a VPC endpoint is for services like S3. Option E is incorrect because a VPN connection is not needed for traffic within the same VPC.
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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