- A
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and assign a public IP to the instance.
Why wrong: This would give the instance a public IP, which is not desired.
- B
Set up a Direct Connect connection to an on-premises data center.
Why wrong: Direct Connect is for private connectivity, not general internet access.
- C
Create a VPC endpoint for Amazon S3 and update the route table.
VPC endpoint allows private access to S3 without internet.
- D
Establish a VPN connection to a third-party proxy service.
Why wrong: VPN is not typically used for outbound internet patches; it adds complexity.
- E
Deploy a NAT Gateway in a public subnet and update the private subnet route table to point 0.0.0.0/0 to the NAT Gateway.
NAT Gateway enables outbound internet for private instances.
Question 369 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 solutions architect is designing a VPC with public and private subnets. The application in the private subnet needs to download patches from the internet. Which TWO options allow outbound internet access while keeping the EC2 instance in the private subnet without a public IP address?
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
✓
Create a VPC endpoint for Amazon S3 and update the route table.
Option C is correct because a VPC endpoint for Amazon S3 allows private subnet instances to access S3 buckets (where patches can be stored) without traversing the internet, using the AWS network backbone. This keeps the EC2 instance private (no public IP) while enabling outbound access to a specific AWS service. Option E is correct because a NAT Gateway in a public subnet provides source network address translation (SNAT) for private instances, translating their private IPs to the NAT Gateway's Elastic IP for outbound internet traffic, while the private instance itself remains without a public IP.
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.
- ✗
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and assign a public IP to the instance.
Why it's wrong here
This would give the instance a public IP, which is not desired.
- ✗
Set up a Direct Connect connection to an on-premises data center.
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect is for private connectivity, not general internet access.
- ✓
Create a VPC endpoint for Amazon S3 and update the route table.
Why this is correct
VPC endpoint allows private access to S3 without internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Establish a VPN connection to a third-party proxy service.
Why it's wrong here
VPN is not typically used for outbound internet patches; it adds complexity.
- ✓
Deploy a NAT Gateway in a public subnet and update the private subnet route table to point 0.0.0.0/0 to the NAT Gateway.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The ANS-C01 exam often tests the misconception that a NAT Gateway requires a public IP on the private instance, but in reality, the NAT Gateway itself has the public IP and performs SNAT, so the private instance never needs a public IP.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A NAT Gateway operates at Layer 3/4, performing port address translation (PAT) to map multiple private IPs to a single Elastic IP, and supports TCP, UDP, and ICMP. VPC endpoints for S3 use AWS PrivateLink or gateway endpoints; gateway endpoints are free and use prefix lists in the route table, while interface endpoints use ENIs with private IPs. In real-world scenarios, combining a NAT Gateway for general internet access and VPC endpoints for AWS services (like S3 or DynamoDB) optimizes cost and security by reducing data transfer over the internet.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
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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: Create a VPC endpoint for Amazon S3 and update the route table. — Option C is correct because a VPC endpoint for Amazon S3 allows private subnet instances to access S3 buckets (where patches can be stored) without traversing the internet, using the AWS network backbone. This keeps the EC2 instance private (no public IP) while enabling outbound access to a specific AWS service. Option E is correct because a NAT Gateway in a public subnet provides source network address translation (SNAT) for private instances, translating their private IPs to the NAT Gateway's Elastic IP for outbound internet traffic, while the private instance itself remains without a public IP.
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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