The correct answer is that an NLB can be used as a service provider in a VPC endpoint service, and it supports the assignment of Elastic IPs per Availability Zone. This is because AWS PrivateLink requires a fixed, static IP address for the service provider’s endpoint to remain reachable even when backend instances change; the NLB’s ability to assign Elastic IPs per AZ ensures that consumer VPCs always connect to a stable IP, decoupling the endpoint from instance churn. On the ANS-C01 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how PrivateLink integrates with load balancers—specifically that only NLB and Gateway Load Balancer support Elastic IPs, while ALB does not. A common trap is assuming any load balancer can serve as a PrivateLink service provider, but the NLB’s static IP capability is the key differentiator. Memory tip: “NLB = Never Loses a fixed IP” for PrivateLink provider scenarios.
ANS-C01 Network Implementation Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network implementation. 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.
Which TWO of the following are true about using a Network Load Balancer (NLB) with AWS PrivateLink? (Choose 2.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
NLB can be assigned Elastic IPs
Option D is correct because a Network Load Balancer (NLB) supports the assignment of Elastic IPs (EIPs) per Availability Zone, which provides a static, fixed IP address for the NLB. This is critical for AWS PrivateLink, as the service provider's VPC endpoint service uses the NLB's IP addresses to accept traffic from consumer VPCs, ensuring the endpoint remains reachable even if the underlying instances change.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
NLB can be used as a service provider in a VPC endpoint service
Why this is correct
NLB is the underlying resource for PrivateLink.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse NLB's ability to be assigned Elastic IPs with the misconception that NLB can terminate TLS or support SNI, but NLB is a Layer 4 load balancer and does not inspect HTTP headers, making SNI impossible, while TLS termination is an optional feature not inherent to PrivateLink usage.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When an NLB is used as the target for a VPC endpoint service in AWS PrivateLink, each NLB node in an Availability Zone can be assigned an Elastic IP, which becomes the service provider's endpoint IP. This allows consumer VPCs to connect to a fixed IP that remains stable even if the underlying compute resources are replaced, which is essential for compliance and firewall rules. Under the hood, the NLB uses a flow hash algorithm based on the 5-tuple (source IP, source port, destination IP, destination port, protocol) to route traffic, and assigning EIPs ensures the destination IP is static across the NLB's lifecycle.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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 Implementation — This question tests Network Implementation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: NLB can be assigned Elastic IPs — Option D is correct because a Network Load Balancer (NLB) supports the assignment of Elastic IPs (EIPs) per Availability Zone, which provides a static, fixed IP address for the NLB. This is critical for AWS PrivateLink, as the service provider's VPC endpoint service uses the NLB's IP addresses to accept traffic from consumer VPCs, ensuring the endpoint remains reachable even if the underlying instances change.
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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