- A
Traffic goes to the on-premises network only if there is a static route.
Why wrong: BGP propagates the route automatically.
- B
Traffic is dropped because there is no route.
Why wrong: There is a route via Direct Connect.
- C
Traffic goes to the internet via the internet gateway.
Why wrong: Unless a more specific route to IGW exists, the BGP route takes precedence.
- D
Traffic goes to the on-premises network via Direct Connect.
The propagated BGP route is more specific than a default route to IGW, if any.
Question 76 of 1,705
Direct Connect Default Route vs Internet Gateway: Understanding Precedence
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network implementation. 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 has a Direct Connect connection with a private VIF to a VPC. The on-premises network is advertising a default route (0.0.0.0/0) over BGP. The VPC has an internet gateway attached. When an EC2 instance in the VPC sends traffic to an internet destination, which path does it take by default?
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
✓
Traffic goes to the on-premises network via Direct Connect.
When an on-premises network advertises a default route (0.0.0.0/0) over BGP via a Direct Connect private VIF, that route is propagated into the VPC route tables as a static route. By default, the most specific route (longest prefix match) is preferred, but since both the internet gateway and the BGP-advertised route are for 0.0.0.0/0, the BGP route takes precedence because it is learned via a more specific path (Direct Connect) and is considered a static route in the VPC route table, overriding the internet gateway's implicit route.
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.
- ✗
Traffic goes to the on-premises network only if there is a static route.
Why it's wrong here
BGP propagates the route automatically.
- ✗
Traffic is dropped because there is no route.
Why it's wrong here
There is a route via Direct Connect.
- ✗
Traffic goes to the internet via the internet gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Unless a more specific route to IGW exists, the BGP route takes precedence.
- ✓
Traffic goes to the on-premises network via Direct Connect.
Why this is correct
The propagated BGP route is more specific than a default route to IGW, if any.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The ANS-C01 exam often tests the misconception that an internet gateway always takes precedence for internet-bound traffic, but the trap here is that a BGP-advertised default route via Direct Connect is treated as a static route in the VPC, overriding the internet gateway's implicit route for the same destination.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In AWS, a VPC route table can have multiple routes for the same destination prefix; the route with the lowest prefix length (most specific) wins, but for identical prefixes, the route with the highest priority (e.g., static over propagated) is used. The BGP-advertised default route from Direct Connect is treated as a static route in the VPC, which takes precedence over the internet gateway's implicit route for 0.0.0.0/0. This behavior is governed by AWS route table precedence rules, where static routes (including those learned via BGP) override edge-association routes like the internet gateway.
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 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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
Network Implementation — This question tests Network Implementation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Traffic goes to the on-premises network via Direct Connect. — When an on-premises network advertises a default route (0.0.0.0/0) over BGP via a Direct Connect private VIF, that route is propagated into the VPC route tables as a static route. By default, the most specific route (longest prefix match) is preferred, but since both the internet gateway and the BGP-advertised route are for 0.0.0.0/0, the BGP route takes precedence because it is learned via a more specific path (Direct Connect) and is considered a static route in the VPC route table, overriding the internet gateway's implicit route.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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