The answer is the Virtual Private Gateway (VGW) and the Customer Gateway. These two components are required to establish an AWS Site-to-Site VPN because the VGW serves as the VPN concentrator on the AWS side of the connection, while the Customer Gateway represents the physical or software VPN device on the on-premises network, providing the necessary configuration for the IPsec tunnel endpoints. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this foundational concept tests your understanding of the core building blocks for hybrid networking, often appearing as a straightforward multiple-choice question designed to separate mandatory components from optional ones like a Transit Gateway or Direct Connect. A common trap is assuming a VPN Connection object is a component, but it is actually the logical resource that ties the VGW and Customer Gateway together. Memory tip: think of the VGW as the AWS door and the Customer Gateway as the on-premises key—both are required to open the tunnel.
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 wants to secure network traffic between on-premises data centers and AWS using AWS Site-to-Site VPN. Which TWO components are required to establish a VPN connection?
Why wrong: A VPN connection is the resource that uses VGW and CGW, but it is not a 'component' in the same sense; the question asks for components required to establish it.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Customer Gateway (CGW)
A virtual private gateway is required on the AWS side, and a customer gateway represents the on-premises VPN device. Option C is wrong because a transit gateway is optional. Option D is wrong because a VPN connection is the object that ties them together. Option E is wrong because a Direct Connect connection is separate.
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.
✗
VPN Connection
Why it's wrong here
A VPN connection is the resource that uses VGW and CGW, but it is not a 'component' in the same sense; the question asks for components required to establish it.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Customer Gateway (CGW) — A virtual private gateway is required on the AWS side, and a customer gateway represents the on-premises VPN device. Option C is wrong because a transit gateway is optional. Option D is wrong because a VPN connection is the object that ties them together. Option E is wrong because a Direct Connect connection is separate.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
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.
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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