Question 1,360 of 247
AWS Direct Connect for Dedicated Private Connection
A company wants to establish a dedicated, low-latency, private connection between its on-premises data center and an AWS VPC. The company does not want to use the public internet. Which AWS service should be used to meet this requirement?
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Direct Connect, the correct service for establishing a dedicated, low-latency, private connection between an on-premises data center and an AWS VPC without traversing the public internet. This service works by using industry-standard 802.1Q VLANs to create a private virtual interface (VIF) that directly links your on-premises network to your VPC, bypassing internet congestion and ensuring consistent, predictable network performance. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of hybrid networking scenarios where security and reliability are paramount; a common trap is confusing AWS Direct Connect with a VPN, but remember that a VPN still uses the public internet, while Direct Connect provides a physically dedicated line. For a quick memory tip, think “Direct Connect = Direct Path” — it’s the only service that gives you a private, physical cable straight into AWS, making it ideal for latency-sensitive workloads like real-time data replication.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse AWS Virtual Private Gateway (a required attachment for Direct Connect) with the Direct Connect service itself, or they assume VPC Peering can extend to on-premises networks, but VPC Peering is strictly limited to inter-VPC connectivity within AWS.
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
✓
AWS Direct Connect
AWS Direct Connect is the correct service because it provides a dedicated, private, low-latency network connection from an on-premises data center to AWS, bypassing the public internet entirely. It uses industry-standard 802.1Q VLANs to create a private virtual interface (VIF) that connects directly to a VPC, ensuring consistent network performance and reduced latency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
AWS Direct Connect
Why this is correct
Correct. AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated private connection between on-premises and AWS, avoiding the public internet.
- ✗
AWS Virtual Private Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. A virtual private gateway is an endpoint for VPN connections from on-premises, but those VPNs typically traverse the public internet.
- ✗
AWS Transit Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Transit Gateway is used to connect multiple VPCs and on-premises networks via VPN or Direct Connect, but it is not the direct private connection itself.
- ✗
VPC Peering
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. VPC peering connects two VPCs, but does not connect on-premises data centers to AWS.
Visual reference
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SOA-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which AWS service can be used to create a private, dedicated connection between an on-premises data center and AWS?
easy- A.AWS Site-to-Site VPN
- B.AWS Transit Gateway
- C.VPC Peering
- ✓ D.AWS Direct Connect
Why D: AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated, private network connection between your on-premises data center and AWS, bypassing the public internet. Option A (AWS Site-to-Site VPN) is incorrect because it creates encrypted tunnels over the internet, not a dedicated physical connection. Option B (AWS Transit Gateway) is incorrect because it acts as a hub to interconnect VPCs and on-premises networks but uses VPN or Direct Connect as the actual connection—it is not the dedicated connection itself. Option C (VPC Peering) is incorrect because it connects VPCs within AWS, not on-premises to AWS.
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.