- A
Create a security group for the web tier that allows outbound traffic to the app tier security group on port 443.
Security group outbound rule allows traffic to app tier.
- B
Create a security group for the app tier that allows inbound traffic from the web tier security group on port 443.
Security group inbound rule allows web tier traffic.
- C
Deploy an AWS Network Firewall to inspect inter-tier traffic.
Why wrong: Overkill for simple port-based filtering; adds complexity.
- D
Use network ACLs to statelessly filter traffic on the subnets.
Why wrong: Stateless ACLs require careful configuration; security groups are simpler and stateful.
- E
Configure a VPC endpoint policy to deny all traffic between tiers.
Why wrong: VPC endpoints are for accessing AWS services, not for inter-tier traffic.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create a security group for the app tier that allows inbound traffic from the web tier security group on port 443, and a separate security group for the database tier that allows inbound traffic from the app tier security group on port 3306. This is correct because security groups are stateful and allow you to reference a source security group (source SG) to control inter-tier traffic on specific ports without needing to manage IP addresses or separate outbound rules. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of using security groups as a logical firewall for multi-tier applications, a common trap being the mistaken use of stateless NACLs which require explicit inbound and outbound rules for each direction. Remember the memory tip: “SG for stateful, SG for source” — always reference the source security group by ID when controlling inter-tier communication on specific ports.
ANS-C01 Network Security, Compliance and Governance Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network security, compliance and governance. 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 company is designing a network security architecture for a multi-tier application. They need to ensure that the web tier can only communicate with the app tier on port 443, and the app tier can only communicate with the database tier on port 3306. Which TWO actions should they take? (Choose TWO.)
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 security group for the web tier that allows outbound traffic to the app tier security group on port 443.
Options A and D are correct because security groups are stateful and can be used to control traffic between tiers by referencing the source security group. Option B is wrong because NACLs are stateless and require separate inbound/outbound rules. Option C is wrong because AWS Network Firewall is not needed for this simple traffic control. Option E is wrong because the requirement is to allow traffic on specific ports, not deny all.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a security group for the web tier that allows outbound traffic to the app tier security group on port 443.
Why this is correct
Security group outbound rule allows traffic to app tier.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✓
Create a security group for the app tier that allows inbound traffic from the web tier security group on port 443.
Why this is correct
Security group inbound rule allows web tier traffic.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✗
Deploy an AWS Network Firewall to inspect inter-tier traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Overkill for simple port-based filtering; adds complexity.
- ✗
Use network ACLs to statelessly filter traffic on the subnets.
Why it's wrong here
Stateless ACLs require careful configuration; security groups are simpler and stateful.
- ✗
Configure a VPC endpoint policy to deny all traffic between tiers.
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoints are for accessing AWS services, not for inter-tier traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related ANS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
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Network Security, Compliance and Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a security group for the web tier that allows outbound traffic to the app tier security group on port 443. — Options A and D are correct because security groups are stateful and can be used to control traffic between tiers by referencing the source security group. Option B is wrong because NACLs are stateless and require separate inbound/outbound rules. Option C is wrong because AWS Network Firewall is not needed for this simple traffic control. Option E is wrong because the requirement is to allow traffic on specific ports, not deny all.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related ANS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on ANS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is designing a network security architecture for a multi-tier application. They want to ensure that the web tier can communicate with the application tier only on specific ports, and the application tier can communicate with the database tier only on specific ports. Which TWO configurations should be implemented?
medium- A.Use a transit gateway with network ACLs to filter traffic between tiers.
- B.Use VPC peering to connect the tiers and apply security groups on the peering connection.
- ✓ C.Use network ACLs to provide a secondary layer of stateless filtering at the subnet level.
- D.Use a single security group for all tiers and define rules based on CIDR blocks.
- ✓ E.Use security groups for each tier and allow traffic only from the source security group on the required ports.
Why C: Options A and B are correct. Security groups are used to control traffic between tiers based on security group IDs. Network ACLs are stateless and can be used as a secondary layer. Option C is wrong because a single security group cannot differentiate between tiers; multiple security groups are needed. Option D is wrong because VPC peering is for connecting VPCs, not for traffic filtering within a VPC. Option E is wrong because a transit gateway is for connecting multiple VPCs, not for security filtering.
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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