The answer is `ec2:DescribeVpcs`. This permission is critical because the `DescribeVpcs` API call is the only way to retrieve details about a VPC, including its CIDR block, state, and tags, which are essential for any monitoring or inventory task. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this tests your understanding that VPCs are EC2 resources from an IAM perspective, even though they are managed under the VPC console. A common trap is assuming that broader permissions like `ec2:Describe*` or `ec2:DescribeSubnets` will cover VPCs, but AWS enforces granularity—without the explicit `ec2:DescribeVpcs` action, the DevOps team will receive an empty list or an authorization error when trying to view VPCs. For IAM permissions VPC monitoring scenarios, always remember that VPCs require their own dedicated describe action. Memory tip: "VPCs are EC2's VIPs—they need their own special Describe invite."
ANS-C01 Network Design Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network design. 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 network engineer needs to create a set of IAM permissions for a DevOps team to monitor network resources. The policy above is proposed. What critical missing permission is required to allow the team to list and describe VPCs?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ec2:DescribeVpcs
The correct permission to list and describe VPCs is `ec2:DescribeVpcs`. This API call returns information about one or more VPCs, including their CIDR blocks, state, and tags. Without this specific permission, the DevOps team cannot retrieve VPC details, even if they have other EC2 describe permissions.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
ec2:DescribeVpcPeeringConnections
Why it's wrong here
Not required for basic VPC listing.
✓
ec2:DescribeVpcs
Why this is correct
The policy does not include describe for VPCs; it only allows DescribeInstances and DescribeSecurityGroups.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
ec2:DescribeSubnets
Why it's wrong here
Not needed for listing VPCs.
✗
ec2:CreateVpc
Why it's wrong here
Create permission is not required for listing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
AWS often tests the distinction between read and write permissions, and the trap here is that candidates confuse `ec2:CreateVpc` (a write action) with the ability to list VPCs, or assume that broader EC2 describe permissions like `ec2:Describe*` are implicitly granted.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `ec2:DescribeVpcs` API is the only EC2 API that returns VPC objects with attributes like VPC ID, CIDR block, DHCP options set, and instance tenancy. In AWS IAM, read actions (Describe*) are separate from write actions (Create*, Modify*, Delete*), so granting `ec2:CreateVpc` does not imply any read access. A common real-world scenario is when a DevOps team needs to query VPCs for automation scripts or monitoring dashboards, and missing this permission causes silent failures or access denied errors.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: ec2:DescribeVpcs — The correct permission to list and describe VPCs is `ec2:DescribeVpcs`. This API call returns information about one or more VPCs, including their CIDR blocks, state, and tags. Without this specific permission, the DevOps team cannot retrieve VPC details, even if they have other EC2 describe permissions.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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