Quick Answer
The answer is VPC peering connection. This is correct because VPC peering establishes a direct, private network route between two VPCs using AWS’s internal global backbone, allowing traffic to flow over private IP addresses without traversing the internet or requiring an internet gateway or VPN connection. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the fundamental difference between VPC peering and other connectivity options like Transit Gateway or VPN—specifically, that peering is a simple, one-to-one connection ideal for same-account, same-region VPCs, while Transit Gateway is better for hub-and-spoke architectures with many VPCs. A common trap is assuming Transit Gateway is always the answer for any multi-VPC setup, but the question’s restriction to two VPCs in the same account and region makes peering the most direct and cost-effective choice. Memory tip: “Peering pairs privately; Transit ties together many.”
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 company wants to enable communication between two VPCs (VPC A and VPC B) in the same AWS account and region. They want to use private IP addresses and avoid using the internet. Which THREE options can achieve this?
VPC peering connection
Direct private connection between VPCs.
AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection between VPCs
VPN over internet can connect VPCs privately.
Internet gateway attached to both VPCs
Why wrong: Internet gateway provides internet access, not private VPC-to-VPC.
AWS Transit Gateway
Hub-and-spoke connectivity for multiple VPCs.
NAT gateway in each VPC
Why wrong: NAT gateway is for outbound internet, not VPC-to-VPC.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
VPC peering connection
VPC peering connection (Option A) allows direct, private IP connectivity between two VPCs using the AWS global network, with no internet gateway or VPN required. Traffic stays within AWS's internal infrastructure, meeting the requirement for private IP addresses and avoiding the internet.
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.
VPC peering connection
Why this is correct
Direct private connection between VPCs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection between VPCs
Why this is correct
VPN over internet can connect VPCs privately.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Internet gateway attached to both VPCs
Why it's wrong here
Internet gateway provides internet access, not private VPC-to-VPC.
AWS Transit Gateway
Why this is correct
Hub-and-spoke connectivity for multiple VPCs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
NAT gateway in each VPC
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse a NAT gateway with a VPC-to-VPC connectivity solution, but NAT gateways only handle outbound internet traffic and cannot forward traffic between VPCs.
Detailed technical explanation
VPC peering uses the AWS backbone to route traffic via private IPs, with no single point of failure or bandwidth bottleneck, but it is not transitive — each pair of VPCs requires a separate peering connection. AWS Transit Gateway (Option D) solves this by acting as a hub-and-spoke router, using a single gateway to interconnect thousands of VPCs and on-premises networks via BGP or static routes.
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
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FAQ
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: VPC peering connection — VPC peering connection (Option A) allows direct, private IP connectivity between two VPCs using the AWS global network, with no internet gateway or VPN required. Traffic stays within AWS's internal infrastructure, meeting the requirement for private IP addresses and avoiding the internet.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Same concept, more angles
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 needs to connect two VPCs in the same AWS account and region. They want to use private IP addresses and avoid any single point of failure. Which solution should they use?
easyWhy B: VPC peering allows direct connectivity between two VPCs using private IPs and has no single point of failure. Transit Gateway also works but adds cost and complexity. VPN is not needed within the same region. Internet Gateway would expose traffic to the internet.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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