This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network design. 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 designing a VPC with public and private subnets. The private subnets need to access the internet for software updates but must not be directly accessible from the internet. Which AWS service should be used to provide internet access to instances in the private subnets?
Internet gateway
Why wrong: Internet gateway is used for public subnets and allows inbound traffic.
NAT gateway
NAT gateway provides outbound-only internet access for private subnets.
VPC endpoint
Why wrong: VPC endpoint provides private access to AWS services, not the internet.
Transit gateway
Why wrong: Transit gateway connects VPCs and on-premises, not for internet access.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
NAT gateway
Option B is correct because a NAT gateway allows instances in private subnets to initiate outbound traffic to the internet but prevents inbound traffic from the internet. Option A is wrong because an internet gateway is for public subnets and allows inbound connections. Option C is wrong because a transit gateway connects VPCs but does not provide internet access. Option D is wrong because a VPC endpoint is for accessing AWS services privately, not 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
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Internet gateway
Why it's wrong here
Internet gateway is used for public subnets and allows inbound traffic.
NAT gateway
VPC endpoint
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoint provides private access to AWS services, not the internet.
Transit gateway
Why it's wrong here
Transit gateway connects VPCs and on-premises, not for internet access.
Common exam traps
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
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.
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
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
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.
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FAQ
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
The correct answer is: NAT gateway — Option B is correct because a NAT gateway allows instances in private subnets to initiate outbound traffic to the internet but prevents inbound traffic from the internet. Option A is wrong because an internet gateway is for public subnets and allows inbound connections. Option C is wrong because a transit gateway connects VPCs but does not provide internet access. Option D is wrong because a VPC endpoint is for accessing AWS services privately, not the internet.
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.
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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