- A
Set up an AWS Client VPN endpoint and connect the on-premises application
Why wrong: Client VPN is for individual remote users, not for site-to-site connectivity.
- B
Create a VPC endpoint for RDS and connect on-premises to the endpoint
Why wrong: RDS does not have a VPC endpoint; VPC endpoints are for services like S3 and DynamoDB.
- C
Establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect
A VPN over Direct Connect provides encrypted IPsec tunnels over the private AWS backbone.
- D
Configure ClassicLink to connect the on-premises network to the VPC
Why wrong: ClassicLink is a deprecated feature for linking EC2-Classic to VPC, not for on-premises connectivity.
Question 526 of 1,705
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 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
✓
Establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect
Option C is correct because an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection over AWS Direct Connect provides an encrypted IPSec tunnel that traverses the AWS backbone network, ensuring encryption in transit and meeting the requirement to keep traffic off the public internet. Direct Connect provides a private physical connection to AWS, and the Site-to-Site VPN adds encryption over that link, which is ideal for connecting an on-premises application to an RDS for SQL Server instance in a VPC.
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
- ✗
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
The trap here is that candidates may think Direct Connect alone provides encryption, but it does not; the question explicitly requires encryption in transit, so a Site-to-Site VPN must be layered over Direct Connect, not just Direct Connect or a VPN alone.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated physical link from on-premises to AWS, but by itself it does not encrypt traffic; adding an IPSec VPN over Direct Connect (using a virtual private gateway or transit gateway) ensures encryption in transit via protocols like AES-256 and SHA-256, while the traffic stays on the AWS backbone network. This combination is often used for hybrid architectures where regulatory compliance requires both private connectivity and encryption, such as in financial services or healthcare.
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.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
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 connection over AWS Direct Connect provides an encrypted IPSec tunnel that traverses the AWS backbone network, ensuring encryption in transit and meeting the requirement to keep traffic off the public internet. Direct Connect provides a private physical connection to AWS, and the Site-to-Site VPN adds encryption over that link, which is ideal for connecting an on-premises application to an RDS for SQL Server instance in a VPC.
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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