The answer is to set up an AWS Client VPN endpoint in the VPC and make the ALB internal. This solution is correct because it provides secure remote access to internal applications by routing employee traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel from the corporate network, while the internal-facing ALB ensures the applications are never exposed to the public internet. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how AWS Client VPN integrates with VPC architecture to enforce network segmentation and meet strict security requirements—a common trap is assuming a security group on an internet-facing ALB is sufficient, but that still leaves the endpoint publicly reachable. The key insight is that making the ALB internal forces all traffic to traverse the VPN, eliminating any public attack surface. Memory tip: “VPN makes it internal” — if the requirement is no public internet access, the load balancer must be internal, and the VPN becomes the only entry point.
ANS-C01 Network Design Practice Question
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 wants to provide its employees with access to a set of internal web applications hosted in a VPC. The applications are accessed via an internet-facing ALB. Security requirements mandate that employees connect only from the corporate network (on-premises) and not from the public internet. Which solution meets these requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set up an AWS Client VPN endpoint in the VPC and make the ALB internal. Employees connect via the VPN.
Option D is correct because AWS Client VPN provides secure access from on-premises without exposing the ALB to the internet. Option A is wrong because security groups don't filter by IP of the VPN; the ALB would still be internet-facing. Option B is wrong because it still exposes the ALB to the internet. Option C is wrong because on-premises users would need public internet access to reach the ALB.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Make the ALB internal and use a NAT gateway to provide internet access.
Why it's wrong here
Internal ALB is not reachable from on-premises without a VPN/Direct Connect.
✓
Set up an AWS Client VPN endpoint in the VPC and make the ALB internal. Employees connect via the VPN.
Why this is correct
Client VPN provides secure access to the internal ALB from on-premises.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Deploy a CloudFront distribution with an origin access identity pointing to the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront does not replace VPN for on-premises-only access.
✗
Keep the ALB internet-facing but restrict access using a security group that allows only the corporate public IP range.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups allow IP ranges, but this still exposes the ALB to the internet and is not secure if IPs change.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related ANS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set up an AWS Client VPN endpoint in the VPC and make the ALB internal. Employees connect via the VPN. — Option D is correct because AWS Client VPN provides secure access from on-premises without exposing the ALB to the internet. Option A is wrong because security groups don't filter by IP of the VPN; the ALB would still be internet-facing. Option B is wrong because it still exposes the ALB to the internet. Option C is wrong because on-premises users would need public internet access to reach the ALB.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related ANS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
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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 wants to provide its employees with secure access to internal applications running on AWS without using a VPN. Which AWS service can be used?
easy
A.AWS Site-to-Site VPN
B.AWS Transit Gateway
✓ C.AWS Client VPN
D.AWS Direct Connect
Why C: AWS Client VPN is a managed, cloud-based VPN solution that allows employees to securely access AWS resources and internal applications from their devices using OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocols, without requiring a traditional site-to-site VPN or dedicated hardware. It provides per-user authentication via Active Directory, SAML, or mutual authentication, making it ideal for remote user access to internal applications without a VPN appliance on-premises.
Variation 2. A company wants to provide its employees with secure access to internal applications hosted in a VPC. The employees work remotely and use personal laptops. The solution must authenticate users against the company's existing identity provider (IdP) and must support both Windows and macOS clients. Which AWS service should be used?
easy
A.AWS Transit Gateway
B.AWS Site-to-Site VPN
C.AWS Direct Connect
✓ D.AWS Client VPN
Why D: AWS Client VPN is a fully managed, cloud-based VPN solution that allows remote employees to securely access resources in a VPC using their personal laptops. It supports both Windows and macOS clients natively and can integrate with the company's existing identity provider (IdP) via SAML-based authentication, meeting all stated requirements.
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