- A
Verify the CIDR block of the VPC
Why wrong: CIDR block is not the cause of connectivity issues between instances in the same VPC.
- B
Enable VPC Flow Logs to capture traffic
Why wrong: Flow logs help analyze traffic but do not diagnose the root cause directly.
- C
Check the IAM policy attached to the EC2 instance
Why wrong: IAM policies do not affect network connectivity.
- D
Check the network ACL associated with the subnets for both instances
NACLs are stateless and may block traffic if rules are misconfigured.
- E
Verify the route table in the EC2 instance's subnet has a route to the RDS subnet
Without a route, traffic cannot reach the RDS subnet.
Question 975 of 1,546
SOA-C02 Networking and Content Delivery Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. 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 SysOps administrator is troubleshooting a connectivity issue from an EC2 instance to an RDS database in the same VPC. The security groups are configured correctly. Which TWO steps should the administrator take to diagnose the issue?
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
✓
Check the network ACL associated with the subnets for both instances
Network ACLs (NACLs) are stateless, meaning they filter traffic in both directions independently. Even if security groups allow traffic, a misconfigured NACL can block it. Checking the NACL associated with the subnets for both the EC2 instance and the RDS database is a critical step because NACLs can implicitly deny traffic if no matching allow rule exists.
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.
- ✗
Verify the CIDR block of the VPC
Why it's wrong here
CIDR block is not the cause of connectivity issues between instances in the same VPC.
- ✗
Enable VPC Flow Logs to capture traffic
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs help analyze traffic but do not diagnose the root cause directly.
- ✗
Check the IAM policy attached to the EC2 instance
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies do not affect network connectivity.
- ✓
Check the network ACL associated with the subnets for both instances
Why this is correct
NACLs are stateless and may block traffic if rules are misconfigured.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Verify the route table in the EC2 instance's subnet has a route to the RDS subnet
Why this is correct
Without a route, traffic cannot reach the RDS subnet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume security groups are the only network filter, overlooking that NACLs are stateless and can block traffic even when security groups are correctly configured.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NACLs operate at the subnet level and evaluate rules in order by rule number, with an implicit deny at the end. For two-way communication, both inbound and outbound NACL rules must allow the ephemeral port range (typically 1024-65535) for return traffic. Security groups, by contrast, are stateful and automatically allow return traffic, which is why a misconfigured NACL can break connectivity even when security groups are correct.
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 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.
Visual reference
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.
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Networking and Content Delivery — study guide chapter
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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: Check the network ACL associated with the subnets for both instances — Network ACLs (NACLs) are stateless, meaning they filter traffic in both directions independently. Even if security groups allow traffic, a misconfigured NACL can block it. Checking the NACL associated with the subnets for both the EC2 instance and the RDS database is a critical step because NACLs can implicitly deny traffic if no matching allow rule exists.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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