Match each AWS networking service to the OSI layer it primarily operates at.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Layer 4 (Transport)
Layer 7 (Application)
Layer 3 and 4 (Network and Transport)
Layer 3 (Network)
Layer 2 (Data Link) or Layer 1 (Physical)
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Direct Connect: Layer 2 (Data Link)
AWS Direct Connect provides physical or virtual connections at Layer 2, AWS Site-to-Site VPN encrypts and routes IP packets at Layer 3, CloudFront and ALB handle HTTP/HTTPS at Layer 7. Common confusions include misattributing Direct Connect to Layer 3 or CloudFront to lower layers.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Direct Connect: Layer 2 (Data Link)
Why this is correct
AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated network connection from on-premises to AWS, operating at Layer 2 by establishing a VLAN and data link.
AWS Site-to-Site VPN: Layer 3 (Network)
Why this is correct
AWS Site-to-Site VPN uses IPsec tunnels to route traffic over the internet, operating at Layer 3 by encapsulating IP packets.
Amazon CloudFront: Layer 7 (Application)
Why this is correct
CloudFront is a CDN that caches and delivers content at the application layer using HTTP/HTTPS.
Elastic Load Balancer (ALB): Layer 7 (Application)
Why this is correct
Application Load Balancer operates at Layer 7, routing traffic based on HTTP/HTTPS content.
AWS Direct Connect: Layer 3 (Network)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — Direct Connect operates at Layer 2, not Layer 3. Layer 3 is for routing, which is not the primary function of Direct Connect.
Amazon CloudFront: Layer 4 (Transport)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — CloudFront operates at Layer 7 (Application), not Layer 4. Layer 4 deals with TCP/UDP, not HTTP content.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.