The answer is to use separate BGP sessions for each connection with different AS numbers if needed, alongside provisioning two Direct Connect connections at different locations. This is correct because physical diversity across separate data centers or fiber paths eliminates a single point of failure, ensuring that if one connection goes down, the other can seamlessly carry traffic. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this tests your understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework’s reliability pillar, specifically how redundant network paths and BGP session isolation prevent asymmetric routing and failover issues. A common trap is assuming that multiple virtual interfaces on the same physical connection provide high availability—they do not, as the underlying fiber remains a shared risk. For a quick memory tip, think “two locations, two ASNs, two BGP sessions” to anchor the core requirement of both physical and logical separation.
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 company is designing a Direct Connect solution for high availability. Which of the following are best practices? (Select THREE.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Provision two Direct Connect connections at different locations.
Provisioning two Direct Connect connections at different locations ensures physical diversity, which is a fundamental requirement for high availability. If one data center or fiber path fails, the other connection can continue to carry traffic, preventing a single point of failure. This aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework's recommendation for redundant network paths.
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.
✗
Use the same Direct Connect provider for both connections to simplify management.
Why it's wrong here
Using the same provider may share underlying infrastructure, reducing diversity.
✓
Provision two Direct Connect connections at different locations.
Why this is correct
Diverse locations provide physical redundancy.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Configure Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) on the virtual interfaces.
Why this is correct
BFD provides fast failure detection.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a single Direct Connect connection with multiple virtual interfaces.
Why it's wrong here
A single connection is a single point of failure.
✓
Use separate BGP sessions for each connection with different AS numbers if needed.
Why this is correct
Separate BGP sessions improve failover and routing control.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse logical redundancy (multiple virtual interfaces on one connection) with physical redundancy (multiple connections at different locations), leading them to select Option D as a valid high-availability solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection) provides sub-second failure detection on virtual interfaces, typically in the range of 150-300 ms, compared to default BGP keepalive timers of 60 seconds. This rapid detection allows the redundant Direct Connect connection to take over traffic quickly, minimizing disruption. In practice, BFD is configured on the virtual interface's BGP session using the 'bfd' command in the router configuration, and both ends must support the same BFD timers.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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: Provision two Direct Connect connections at different locations. — Provisioning two Direct Connect connections at different locations ensures physical diversity, which is a fundamental requirement for high availability. If one data center or fiber path fails, the other connection can continue to carry traffic, preventing a single point of failure. This aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework's recommendation for redundant network paths.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 is designing a Direct Connect solution for high availability. Which TWO actions meet the requirement for diverse physical paths?
medium
A.Provision two Direct Connect connections at the same Direct Connect location.
✓ B.Provision two Direct Connect connections at two different Direct Connect locations.
✓ C.Use a Transit Gateway with attachments to multiple Direct Connect gateways.
D.Provision a single Direct Connect connection and use link aggregation (LAG).
E.Use a single Direct Connect connection with a VPN backup.
Why B: Option B is correct because provisioning two Direct Connect connections at two different Direct Connect locations ensures that the physical paths are geographically diverse, eliminating a single point of failure. Option C is correct because using a Transit Gateway with attachments to multiple Direct Connect gateways allows traffic to be routed over separate connections, providing path diversity even if the connections are at the same location, as long as they are associated with different gateways and virtual interfaces.
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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
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