The answer is to establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect. This solution is correct because it combines the private, low-latency AWS backbone network provided by Direct Connect with the IPsec encryption of a Site-to-Site VPN, ensuring the RDS connection is both encrypted in transit and kept off the public internet. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to meet hybrid connectivity requirements that demand encryption without sacrificing network path control; a common trap is assuming a VPC endpoint works for RDS (it does not) or confusing Client VPN, which is for individual devices, with a site-to-site tunnel. Remember that Direct Connect alone does not encrypt traffic, so you must layer a VPN over it to satisfy encryption mandates—think of it as “Direct Connect for the backbone, VPN for the lock.”
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 connect an Amazon RDS for SQL Server database instance in a VPC to an on-premises application. The connection must be encrypted in transit and should traverse the AWS backbone network. 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
✓
Establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect
Option C is correct because an AWS Site-to-Site VPN over Direct Connect provides encrypted connectivity over the AWS backbone. Option A is wrong because RDS does not support VPC endpoints. Option B is wrong because Client VPN is for individual devices, not site-to-site. Option D is wrong because ClassicLink is legacy and does not encrypt traffic.
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.
✗
Set up an AWS Client VPN endpoint and connect the on-premises application
Why it's wrong here
Client VPN is for individual remote users, not for site-to-site connectivity.
✗
Create a VPC endpoint for RDS and connect on-premises to the endpoint
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not have a VPC endpoint; VPC endpoints are for services like S3 and DynamoDB.
✓
Establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect
Why this is correct
A VPN over Direct Connect provides encrypted IPsec tunnels over the private AWS backbone.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure ClassicLink to connect the on-premises network to the VPC
Why it's wrong here
ClassicLink is a deprecated feature for linking EC2-Classic to VPC, not for on-premises connectivity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which ANS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect — Option C is correct because an AWS Site-to-Site VPN over Direct Connect provides encrypted connectivity over the AWS backbone. Option A is wrong because RDS does not support VPC endpoints. Option B is wrong because Client VPN is for individual devices, not site-to-site. Option D is wrong because ClassicLink is legacy and does not encrypt traffic.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which ANS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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