- A
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a virtual private gateway (VGW)
The VGW is attached to the VPC and is the entry/exit point for Direct Connect. By adding a route with the on-premises destination and the VGW as the target, traffic is forced through the Direct Connect connection.
- B
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a NAT gateway
Why wrong: A NAT gateway is used to provide internet access to instances in private subnets. It is not used to route traffic to on-premises networks via Direct Connect.
- C
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via an internet gateway
Why wrong: An internet gateway allows traffic to and from the internet. Using it for on-premises traffic would route over the public internet, defeating the purpose of Direct Connect.
- D
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a VPC peering connection
Why wrong: VPC peering is used to connect two VPCs, not a VPC to an on-premises network. Direct Connect requires a VGW or a Transit Gateway.
Quick Answer
The correct configuration is to add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a virtual private gateway (VGW). This works because a VGW serves as the AWS-side termination point for a Direct Connect private virtual interface, creating a dedicated, private link between your VPC and data center. When you specify the VGW as the target for the on-premises CIDR, all matching traffic is forced over the Direct Connect connection instead of traversing the internet, ensuring low latency and consistent bandwidth. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to influence traffic flow using route tables and the VGW, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose a public virtual interface or an internet gateway. Remember the key distinction: a private virtual interface always pairs with a VGW, not an IGW. A useful memory tip is “VGW for VPC-to-DC,” reinforcing that the VGW is the anchor for forcing private traffic over Direct Connect.
SOA-C02 Networking and Content Delivery Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. 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 has an on-premises data center connected to an AWS VPC via an AWS Direct Connect connection. The company's SysOps administrator wants to ensure that traffic from the VPC destined for the on-premises network uses the Direct Connect connection instead of the internet. Which configuration should be used?
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
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a virtual private gateway (VGW)
Option A is correct because a virtual private gateway (VGW) is the AWS-side endpoint for an AWS Direct Connect connection when using a private virtual interface. By adding a route in the VPC route table that points the on-premises network CIDR to the VGW, all traffic destined for the on-premises network is forced over the Direct Connect link, bypassing the internet. This ensures private, low-latency, and consistent connectivity as required.
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.
- ✓
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a virtual private gateway (VGW)
Why this is correct
The VGW is attached to the VPC and is the entry/exit point for Direct Connect. By adding a route with the on-premises destination and the VGW as the target, traffic is forced through the Direct Connect connection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a NAT gateway
- ✗
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via an internet gateway
Why it's wrong here
An internet gateway allows traffic to and from the internet. Using it for on-premises traffic would route over the public internet, defeating the purpose of Direct Connect.
- ✗
Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a VPC peering connection
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering is used to connect two VPCs, not a VPC to an on-premises network. Direct Connect requires a VGW or a Transit Gateway.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the VGW with a NAT gateway or internet gateway, mistakenly thinking any gateway can route to on-premises, when only the VGW is designed for private connectivity via Direct Connect or VPN.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the VGW acts as a router that propagates routes from the Direct Connect virtual interface into the VPC route table via Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). The VPC route table must have a static route or propagated route for the on-premises CIDR pointing to the VGW, and the on-premises router must advertise the correct prefixes via BGP to complete the path. In real-world scenarios, failing to configure route propagation or using a public virtual interface (which requires internet access) instead of a private virtual interface would cause traffic to not use Direct Connect.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Networking and Content Delivery — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Networking and Content Delivery practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SOA-C02 questions
1,546 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SOA-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SOA-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation.
Reliability and Business Continuity practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Reliability and Business Continuity.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Networking and Content Delivery practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Networking and Content Delivery.
Cost and Performance Optimization practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Cost and Performance Optimization.
SOA-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 fundamentals.
SOA-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 scenario.
SOA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SOA-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Networking and Content Delivery — This question tests Networking and Content Delivery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a route in the VPC route table pointing to the on-premises network via a virtual private gateway (VGW) — Option A is correct because a virtual private gateway (VGW) is the AWS-side endpoint for an AWS Direct Connect connection when using a private virtual interface. By adding a route in the VPC route table that points the on-premises network CIDR to the VGW, all traffic destined for the on-premises network is forced over the Direct Connect link, bypassing the internet. This ensures private, low-latency, and consistent connectivity as required.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More SOA-C02 practice questions
- A company uses an Amazon DynamoDB table with on-demand capacity mode. The table handles a workload with a steady baselin…
- A company uses Amazon CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. The SysOps administrator needs to count the occurrences…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance and send an alert when it exceeds…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance fleet and send an alert when the a…
- A company's security policy requires that all Amazon S3 buckets must have server-side encryption enabled. The SysOps adm…
- A SysOps administrator uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a stack that includes an Amazon EC2 instance. The administrator…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SOA-C02 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 SOA-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.