Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM). This is the correct choice because RAM enables you to share a VPC subnet across AWS accounts within AWS Organizations without requiring VPC peering, transit gateways, or complex network bridging—the management account simply creates a resource share containing the subnet and specifies the target member accounts or organizational units, allowing those accounts to launch EC2 instances, RDS databases, or other resources directly into the shared subnet while the management account retains centralized control over routing and security. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to implement a shared services VPC model efficiently, often appearing as a distractor against VPC peering or Transit Gateway options; the common trap is assuming you need a network connectivity service when RAM handles subnet sharing natively. Remember the mnemonic "RAM for Subnet Sharing"—if you need to share a subnet without extra network hops, think Resource Access Manager first.
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. 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 has a management account in AWS Organizations and wants to share a central Amazon VPC subnet with multiple member accounts for a shared services VPC. Which AWS service should be used to share the subnet?
VPC peering connection
Why wrong: VPC peering connects VPCs but does not share subnets.
AWS Resource Access Manager
RAM allows sharing subnets across accounts within an organization.
AWS PrivateLink
Why wrong: PrivateLink exposes services via endpoints, not subnet sharing.
Service control policy
Why wrong: SCPs are for permissions, not resource sharing.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Resource Access Manager
AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM) is the correct service because it enables you to share a central VPC subnet from a management account with multiple member accounts in AWS Organizations without requiring VPC peering or transit gateways. With RAM, you create a resource share that includes the subnet and specify the member accounts or organizational units (OUs) to grant them access, allowing those accounts to launch resources directly into the shared subnet while maintaining centralized network management.
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 it's wrong here
VPC peering connects VPCs but does not share subnets.
AWS Resource Access Manager
Why this is correct
RAM allows sharing subnets across accounts within an organization.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS PrivateLink
Why it's wrong here
PrivateLink exposes services via endpoints, not subnet sharing.
Service control policy
Why it's wrong here
SCPs are for permissions, not resource sharing.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse VPC peering (which connects entire VPCs) with subnet sharing (which allows direct resource placement into a shared subnet), leading them to select VPC peering instead of AWS Resource Access Manager.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS Resource Access Manager uses a resource-based sharing model where the subnet is shared via a resource share that references the subnet's ARN, and the member accounts must accept the share (or it can be auto-accepted if sharing is enabled within the organization). Under the hood, RAM creates a managed resource association that allows the member account's VPC to use the subnet's CIDR range, and the subnet's route tables, network ACLs, and security groups are centrally managed by the owner account, which is critical for compliance scenarios like a shared services VPC for Active Directory or DNS.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Resource Access Manager — AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM) is the correct service because it enables you to share a central VPC subnet from a management account with multiple member accounts in AWS Organizations without requiring VPC peering or transit gateways. With RAM, you create a resource share that includes the subnet and specify the member accounts or organizational units (OUs) to grant them access, allowing those accounts to launch resources directly into the shared subnet while maintaining centralized network management.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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