The answer is that the VPC route table is missing a route pointing to the Virtual Private Gateway for the on-premises CIDR. This is correct because even when the Direct Connect virtual interface is up and the BGP session is established, the VPC’s route table must explicitly direct traffic destined for the on-premises network toward the VGW; without that static route, the VPC has no path to send return traffic, so pings from the on-premises router to VPC private IPs fail. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how route propagation and static routes interact with Direct Connect—a common trap is assuming that BGP alone handles all routing, but BGP only exchanges prefixes on the Direct Connect side, not within the VPC’s route table. A helpful memory tip is “BGP brings the routes, but the route table must point the way”—always verify the VPC route table includes a destination for your on-premises CIDR with the VGW as the target.
ANS-C01 Network Management and Operations Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network management and operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 uses AWS Direct Connect to connect its data center to a VPC. The VIF is up, and the BGP session is established. However, the on-premises router cannot ping the VPC's private IP addresses. Which configuration is most likely missing?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The VPC route table does not have a route pointing to the Virtual Private Gateway for the on-premises CIDR.
For traffic to reach VPC private IPs, the VPC route table must have a route pointing to the Virtual Private Gateway (VGW) for the on-premises CIDR. Even with BGP up, without this route, traffic won't be sent to the VGW.
Key principle: A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The Direct Connect virtual interface is in the wrong VLAN.
An incorrect BGP password would prevent the BGP session from establishing.
✗
The on-premises router is not advertising the VPC CIDR via BGP.
Why it's wrong here
The on-premises router should advertise its own CIDR, not the VPC CIDR.
✓
The VPC route table does not have a route pointing to the Virtual Private Gateway for the on-premises CIDR.
Why this is correct
Without this route, the VPC does not know to send traffic to the Direct Connect via the VGW.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
→Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
→Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
→Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
Key takeaway
A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related ANS-C01 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
Network Management and Operations — This question tests Network Management and Operations — Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The VPC route table does not have a route pointing to the Virtual Private Gateway for the on-premises CIDR. — For traffic to reach VPC private IPs, the VPC route table must have a route pointing to the Virtual Private Gateway (VGW) for the on-premises CIDR. Even with BGP up, without this route, traffic won't be sent to the VGW.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related ANS-C01 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is using AWS Direct Connect to connect its on-premises data center to AWS. The connection is up, but the network team cannot reach resources in a VPC. The virtual interface is in the 'available' state, and BGP session is established. What should the team check next?
medium
A.Check the on-premises firewall rules
B.Check the BGP authentication
✓ C.Check the VPC route tables for propagated routes
D.Check the Direct Connect physical link status
Why C: Since the Direct Connect physical link is up, the virtual interface is available, and the BGP session is established, the issue lies in the routing of traffic within AWS. The most likely cause is that the VPC route tables do not contain the necessary routes (either static or propagated from the Direct Connect virtual private gateway) to direct traffic back to the on-premises network. Checking the VPC route tables for propagated routes is the correct next step to ensure the on-premises CIDR is being advertised and accepted.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This ANS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ANS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.