The answer is Route 53 private hosted zones associated with the shared services VPC, along with a Route 53 Resolver outbound endpoint in the shared services VPC and an inbound endpoint in each spoke VPC. This combination enables central DNS resolution across multi-account VPCs by allowing the shared services VPC to forward queries to private hosted zones and resolve them for all connected accounts, while the inbound endpoints receive and process those queries from spoke VPCs. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to decouple DNS management from VPC peering, as Transit Gateway handles the network connectivity, making direct peering unnecessary. A common trap is assuming VPC peering is required for DNS resolution, but the key is that Route 53 Resolver endpoints handle the forwarding logic, not the network link. Remember the mnemonic “In and Out for Central DNS” — inbound endpoints in spoke VPCs receive queries, outbound in shared services sends them to the private hosted zones.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
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 is migrating to a multi-account structure and needs to manage DNS resolution across accounts. The company uses Amazon Route 53 private hosted zones. They want a central resolver in the shared services VPC. Which THREE components are required?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Route 53 Resolver outbound endpoints in each VPC to forward queries to the central resolver.
Options A, C, and D are correct. Option B is wrong because VPC peering is not needed if Transit Gateway is used. Option E is wrong because Route 53 Resolver endpoints are for hybrid, not inter-VPC.
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.
✓
Route 53 Resolver outbound endpoints in each VPC to forward queries to the central resolver.
Why this is correct
Allows conditional forwarding.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
A Transit Gateway connecting all VPCs.
Why this is correct
Required for connectivity between VPCs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Route 53 private hosted zones associated with the shared services VPC.
Why this is correct
The central resolver will host the zones.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Route 53 Resolver inbound endpoints in the shared services VPC.
Why it's wrong here
Inbound endpoints are for on-premises to AWS, not inter-VPC.
✗
VPC peering connections between each VPC and the shared services VPC.
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: Route 53 Resolver outbound endpoints in each VPC to forward queries to the central resolver. — Options A, C, and D are correct. Option B is wrong because VPC peering is not needed if Transit Gateway is used. Option E is wrong because Route 53 Resolver endpoints are for hybrid, not inter-VPC.
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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