The answer is to create a Route 53 Resolver rule in each workload account that forwards queries for the on-premises domain to the outbound endpoint. This is necessary because a Route 53 Resolver outbound endpoint is simply a network path from a VPC to on-premises DNS servers; it does not automatically route traffic. Without a forwarding rule explicitly telling the Resolver in each workload VPC which domain (e.g., corp.example.com) should be sent to that outbound endpoint, the VPCs have no instruction to forward those queries, so on-premises hostnames remain unresolved. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the separation between the Resolver endpoint (the network plumbing) and the Resolver rule (the routing logic). A common trap is assuming that associating the outbound endpoint via RAM is enough, but RAM only shares the endpoint’s IP addresses—the rule must be created in each consumer account. Memory tip: think of the outbound endpoint as a highway and the forwarding rule as the exit sign; without the sign, traffic never leaves the highway.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 multi-account architecture with a central networking account that hosts a Transit Gateway. Each workload account has VPCs attached to the Transit Gateway. The company wants to centrally manage DNS resolution across all VPCs using Route 53 Resolver. They create a Route 53 Resolver outbound endpoint in the networking account and associate it with the workload VPCs via RAM. However, workload accounts cannot resolve on-premises hostnames. What is the missing configuration?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a Route 53 Resolver rule in each workload account that forwards queries for the on-premises domain to the outbound endpoint.
Option A is correct because the workload VPCs need to forward DNS queries to the outbound endpoint via a rule. Option B is wrong because the inbound endpoint is for on-premises to resolve AWS resources. Option C is wrong because a private hosted zone is not directly related to forwarding. Option D is wrong because VPC peering is not required when using Transit Gateway.
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.
✗
Establish VPC peering between the workload VPCs and the networking account VPC.
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering is not needed for DNS forwarding when Transit Gateway is used.
✗
Create a Route 53 private hosted zone in the networking account and associate it with the workload VPCs.
Why it's wrong here
Private hosted zone resolves domain names to AWS resources, not forwarding to on-premises.
✗
Create a Route 53 Resolver inbound endpoint in the networking account.
Why it's wrong here
Inbound endpoint is for on-premises to resolve AWS resources, not the other way.
✓
Create a Route 53 Resolver rule in each workload account that forwards queries for the on-premises domain to the outbound endpoint.
Why this is correct
Resolver rules determine how DNS queries are forwarded.
Related concept
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 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 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.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a Route 53 Resolver rule in each workload account that forwards queries for the on-premises domain to the outbound endpoint. — Option A is correct because the workload VPCs need to forward DNS queries to the outbound endpoint via a rule. Option B is wrong because the inbound endpoint is for on-premises to resolve AWS resources. Option C is wrong because a private hosted zone is not directly related to forwarding. Option D is wrong because VPC peering is not required when using Transit Gateway.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 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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