Quick Answer
The correct solution is to use CloudWatch metrics for the Direct Connect connection. This works because Direct Connect automatically publishes native metrics to CloudWatch, including bandwidth utilization in bytes per second, connection state, and BGP status, which directly measure the physical link’s performance. VPC Flow Logs, in contrast, only capture IP traffic at the VPC’s elastic network interfaces and cannot see traffic traversing the Direct Connect physical circuit, making them useless for this monitoring task. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of the separation between logical VPC traffic and physical Direct Connect infrastructure—a common trap is assuming Flow Logs or CloudTrail can replace Direct Connect metrics. Remember the memory tip: “Direct Connect metrics are physical; Flow Logs are virtual.”
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network management and operations. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 has a Direct Connect connection with a private virtual interface to a VPC. The network team wants to monitor the bandwidth utilization of the Direct Connect connection. They have enabled VPC Flow Logs for the VPC, but the flow logs do not show traffic that traverses the Direct Connect. The team needs a solution to capture the bandwidth usage of the Direct Connect connection. Which solution should they implement?
Use CloudWatch metrics for the Direct Connect connection.
CloudWatch provides Direct Connect metrics.
Enable AWS CloudTrail for the Direct Connect connection.
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs API calls, not bandwidth.
Enable VPC Flow Logs on the Direct Connect virtual interface.
Why wrong: Flow logs cannot be enabled on virtual interfaces.
Use AWS Config rules to monitor bandwidth.
Why wrong: Config does not monitor bandwidth.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Use CloudWatch metrics for the Direct Connect connection.
Option B is correct because Direct Connect publishes metrics to CloudWatch, including bandwidth utilization, connection state, and BGP status. VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic within the VPC, not traffic on the Direct Connect physical connection. Option A is wrong because flow logs only capture traffic on VPC network interfaces. Option C is wrong because AWS Config does not provide bandwidth metrics. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail logs API calls.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Use CloudWatch metrics for the Direct Connect connection.
Why this is correct
CloudWatch provides Direct Connect metrics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enable AWS CloudTrail for the Direct Connect connection.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls, not bandwidth.
Enable VPC Flow Logs on the Direct Connect virtual interface.
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs cannot be enabled on virtual interfaces.
Use AWS Config rules to monitor bandwidth.
Why it's wrong here
Config does not monitor bandwidth.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
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FAQ
Network Management and Operations — This question tests Network Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Use CloudWatch metrics for the Direct Connect connection. — Option B is correct because Direct Connect publishes metrics to CloudWatch, including bandwidth utilization, connection state, and BGP status. VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic within the VPC, not traffic on the Direct Connect physical connection. Option A is wrong because flow logs only capture traffic on VPC network interfaces. Option C is wrong because AWS Config does not provide bandwidth metrics. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail logs API calls.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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.
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