The answer is a combination of redundant Direct Connect connections at different locations, BGP routing for dynamic failover, and a VPN connection as a backup. This design ensures high availability by eliminating single points of failure: using two separate Direct Connect locations provides physical path redundancy, while BGP allows automatic route advertisement and withdrawal so traffic shifts instantly if a link fails. The VPN backup acts as a cost-effective, encrypted failover path over the internet, maintaining connectivity if both Direct Connect circuits go down. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the "Direct Connect high availability design" principle—specifically that a single VIF or location is never sufficient, and that failover must be both automatic and diverse. A common trap is assuming a single redundant VIF at one location is enough; the exam expects you to recognize that geographic diversity is critical. Memory tip: think "Two locations, BGP, and a VPN parachute" to recall the three pillars of resilient hybrid networking.
ANS-C01 Network Implementation Practice Question
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.
An organization is designing a hybrid network using AWS Direct Connect with a private VIF. They want to ensure high availability and failover. Which THREE components should be part of the design?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Two separate Direct Connect connections from different providers or locations.
Option A is correct because redundant connections at different locations provide resilience. Option C is correct because BGP enables dynamic failover. Option E is correct because failover to a VPN is a common backup. Option B is incorrect because a single VIF is not redundant. Option D is incorrect because NATgateway is not related to Direct Connect high availability.
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.
✗
A NAT gateway in each Availability Zone.
Why it's wrong here
NAT gateways are for outbound internet, not Direct Connect.
✓
Two separate Direct Connect connections from different providers or locations.
Why this is correct
Redundant physical connections prevent a single point of failure.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
✓
BGP with multiple sessions and AS-path prepending for route preference.
Why this is correct
BGP allows traffic to fail over and control routing preferences.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
✓
A VPN connection as a backup to the Direct Connect.
Why this is correct
A VPN can serve as a failover path if Direct Connect goes down.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
✗
A single Direct Connect connection with multiple VLANs.
Why it's wrong here
VLANs do not provide physical redundancy.
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
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.
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 Implementation — This question tests Network Implementation — Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Two separate Direct Connect connections from different providers or locations. — Option A is correct because redundant connections at different locations provide resilience. Option C is correct because BGP enables dynamic failover. Option E is correct because failover to a VPN is a common backup. Option B is incorrect because a single VIF is not redundant. Option D is incorrect because NAT gateway is not related to Direct Connect high availability.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
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Question Discussion
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