The answer is that the policy allows full management of VPN connections and associated resources. This is correct because the IAM policy uses the `ec2:*` action scoped to resources matching the `*vpn*` wildcard pattern, which covers all VPN connection operations—create, modify, delete, and describe—as well as related resources like virtual private gateways and customer gateways. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of how IAM policy resource-level restrictions interact with VPN management, a common scenario where engineers must balance granularity with operational needs. A frequent trap is assuming a more restrictive action set is required, but the wildcard on `*vpn*` explicitly grants complete lifecycle control, making the “full management” interpretation correct. Memory tip: think of `*vpn*` as a “VPN blanket” that covers everything from gateways to tunnels—if it has “vpn” in the ARN, this policy lets you touch it.
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Allows full management of VPN connections and associated resources.
The IAM policy grants the `ec2:*` action on VPN-related resources (`*vpn*`), which includes all VPN connection operations (create, modify, delete, describe) and associated resources like VPN gateways and customer gateways. This full wildcard on VPN resources enables complete lifecycle management, making option B correct.
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.
✗
Denies deletion of VPN connections.
Why it's wrong here
No Deny statement exists.
✓
Allows full management of VPN connections and associated resources.
Why this is correct
All actions are allowed on all resources.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Restricts access to only VPN connections.
Why it's wrong here
Also allows management of customer gateways and VPN gateways.
✗
Allows read-only access to VPN configurations.
Why it's wrong here
Includes write actions like Create and Delete.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
AWS often tests the misconception that a wildcard resource ARN like `*vpn*` only covers VPN connections, but it actually includes all VPN-related resources (gateways, customer gateways), and the `ec2:*` action allows all operations, not just read or limited management.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The IAM policy uses `ec2:*` with a resource ARN filter matching `*vpn*`, which includes all EC2 VPN-related resources such as `vpn-connection`, `vpn-gateway`, and `cgw-*`. In AWS, IAM policies evaluate actions against resource ARNs; here, the wildcard allows any EC2 action (e.g., `CreateVpnConnection`, `ModifyVpnConnection`, `DeleteVpnConnection`) on those resources. A real-world scenario is granting DevOps teams full VPN lifecycle management for automated site-to-site VPN provisioning via scripts or Terraform.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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: Allows full management of VPN connections and associated resources. — The IAM policy grants the `ec2:*` action on VPN-related resources (`*vpn*`), which includes all VPN connection operations (create, modify, delete, describe) and associated resources like VPN gateways and customer gateways. This full wildcard on VPN resources enables complete lifecycle management, making option B correct.
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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Question Discussion
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