- A
Use TCP listener on port 443 and forward to instances on port 80. Enable proxy protocol v2.
Why wrong: Network Load Balancer would be needed for TCP, but ALB is required for HTTP features.
- B
Use TCP listener on port 443 and forward to instances on port 443. Install SSL certificate on instances.
Why wrong: SSL termination on instances adds management overhead and does not preserve client IP in logs unless configured.
- C
Use HTTPS listener on port 443, provide the SSL certificate, and forward to instances on port 443. Disable proxy protocol.
Why wrong: Instances would need to handle SSL again, and client IP may not be preserved.
- D
Use HTTPS listener on port 443, provide the SSL certificate, and forward to instances on port 80. Enable X-Forwarded-For header.
ALB terminates SSL and passes client IP via X-Forwarded-For.
Quick Answer
The correct configuration is to use an HTTPS listener on port 443 with SSL termination at the ALB, forward traffic to EC2 instances on port 80, and enable the X-Forwarded-For header. This works because SSL termination at the load balancer decrypts the client request, and the X-Forwarded-For header inserts the original client IP address into the HTTP request headers, allowing your application logs to capture it without requiring the instances to handle SSL decryption. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how ALB preserves client IP versus the common trap of terminating SSL on the instances, which adds unnecessary overhead and breaks the preservation of the client IP in the logs. A key memory tip is "Terminate at ALB, forward on port 80, and trust the X-Forwarded-For header" — this avoids the costly mistake of choosing a Network Load Balancer, which lacks HTTP header manipulation.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 highly available application on AWS that uses an Application Load Balancer (ALB) in front of an Auto Scaling group of EC2 instances. The application requires that the client's IP address be preserved in the application logs. The company also needs to perform SSL termination at the load balancer. How should the company configure the ALB to meet these requirements?
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
Use HTTPS listener on port 443, provide the SSL certificate, and forward to instances on port 80. Enable X-Forwarded-For header.
Option C is correct because ALB with SSL termination and X-Forwarded-For header preserves the client IP. Option A terminates SSL on instances, which adds overhead. Option B is for Network Load Balancer, which does not support HTTP features. Option D is wrong because ALB can be internet-facing.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use TCP listener on port 443 and forward to instances on port 80. Enable proxy protocol v2.
Why it's wrong here
Network Load Balancer would be needed for TCP, but ALB is required for HTTP features.
- ✗
Use TCP listener on port 443 and forward to instances on port 443. Install SSL certificate on instances.
Why it's wrong here
SSL termination on instances adds management overhead and does not preserve client IP in logs unless configured.
- ✗
Use HTTPS listener on port 443, provide the SSL certificate, and forward to instances on port 443. Disable proxy protocol.
Why it's wrong here
Instances would need to handle SSL again, and client IP may not be preserved.
- ✓
Use HTTPS listener on port 443, provide the SSL certificate, and forward to instances on port 80. Enable X-Forwarded-For header.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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Design for New Solutions practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use HTTPS listener on port 443, provide the SSL certificate, and forward to instances on port 80. Enable X-Forwarded-For header. — Option C is correct because ALB with SSL termination and X-Forwarded-For header preserves the client IP. Option A terminates SSL on instances, which adds overhead. Option B is for Network Load Balancer, which does not support HTTP features. Option D is wrong because ALB can be internet-facing.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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