ANS-C01 Network Implementation Practice Question
A company is deploying a VPC with public and private subnets in two Availability Zones. They need to ensure that instances in private subnets can access the internet for software updates while remaining unreachable from the internet. Which solution meets these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
AWS often tests the misconception that an internet gateway can be directly associated with private subnets, but the trap here is that an internet gateway enables bidirectional traffic, so attaching it to private subnets would expose instances to inbound internet connections, violating the requirement for unreachability from the internet.
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
✓
Deploy a NAT Gateway in a public subnet and add a route to the NAT Gateway in the private subnet route tables.
A NAT Gateway deployed in a public subnet provides outbound-only internet access for instances in private subnets. The private subnet route table directs 0.0.0.0/0 traffic to the NAT Gateway, which translates the private IPs to the NAT Gateway's Elastic IP, allowing internet access while preventing any unsolicited inbound connections from the internet.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Attach an internet gateway to the private subnets and configure route tables.
Why it's wrong here
Attaching an internet gateway to private subnets would allow inbound traffic, violating the unreachability requirement.
- ✓
Deploy a NAT Gateway in a public subnet and add a route to the NAT Gateway in the private subnet route tables.
Why this is correct
NAT Gateway enables outbound internet connectivity while preventing inbound traffic from the internet.
- ✗
Use a transit gateway to connect the VPC to the internet.
Why it's wrong here
A transit gateway does not provide internet access; it connects VPCs and on-premises networks.
- ✗
Establish a VPN connection to an on-premises network and route traffic through it.
Why it's wrong here
A VPN connection provides access to on-premises networks, not necessarily the internet.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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