- A
VPC peering
VPC peering establishes a direct, private network connection between two VPCs using the AWS backbone. It is simple to set up, has low cost (no hourly fees, only data transfer charges), and provides high throughput with no bandwidth constraints.
- B
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
Why wrong: A VPN connection would require a virtual private gateway in each VPC and tunnels over the internet, adding complexity and potential throughput limitations. It is not the simplest solution for VPC-to-VPC connectivity.
- C
AWS Direct Connect
Why wrong: Direct Connect is designed for dedicated private connections from on-premises to AWS, not for connecting two VPCs. It would be expensive and unnecessarily complex for this use case.
- D
AWS Transit Gateway
Why wrong: Transit Gateway is a centralized hub for connecting many VPCs and on-premises networks. For only two VPCs, it introduces additional cost (hourly fee) and operational overhead without benefit over VPC peering.
Quick Answer
The answer is VPC peering, which is the correct choice because it establishes direct private IP connectivity between two VPCs using the AWS global network, bypassing the public internet entirely. This works by routing traffic between the VPCs through their private IP addresses, requiring only a simple peering connection and route table updates—no internet gateways, VPNs, or physical hardware are needed. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cost-effective, high-throughput networking solutions within a single region, often appearing as a distractor against more complex options like Transit Gateway or VPN. A common trap is assuming you need a VPN for private connectivity, but VPC peering is simpler and cheaper for just two VPCs. Remember the memory tip: “Peer for two, Transit for many”—VPC peering is ideal for a direct, low-cost link between a pair of VPCs, with bandwidth limited only by your EC2 instance types.
SOA-C02 Networking and Content Delivery Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. 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 has two Amazon VPCs: VPC-A (10.0.0.0/16) and VPC-B (10.1.0.0/16) in the same AWS Region. The SysOps administrator needs to enable private IP connectivity between the two VPCs without using the public internet. The solution must be simple, low-cost, and provide high throughput. Which AWS service should the administrator use?
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
VPC peering
VPC peering is the correct choice because it enables direct private IP connectivity between two VPCs using the AWS global network, without requiring internet gateways, VPNs, or physical connections. It is simple to set up (no additional hardware or software), low-cost (no per-hour charges, only data transfer costs), and provides high throughput (bandwidth is limited only by the instance types, not by the peering connection itself).
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.
- ✓
VPC peering
Why this is correct
VPC peering establishes a direct, private network connection between two VPCs using the AWS backbone. It is simple to set up, has low cost (no hourly fees, only data transfer charges), and provides high throughput with no bandwidth constraints.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
- ✗
AWS Direct Connect
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect is designed for dedicated private connections from on-premises to AWS, not for connecting two VPCs. It would be expensive and unnecessarily complex for this use case.
- ✗
AWS Transit Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Transit Gateway is a centralized hub for connecting many VPCs and on-premises networks. For only two VPCs, it introduces additional cost (hourly fee) and operational overhead without benefit over VPC peering.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often over-engineer the solution by choosing AWS Transit Gateway (Option D) for its advanced features, forgetting that for a simple two-VPC connection, VPC peering is the most cost-effective and straightforward option without unnecessary complexity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC peering uses the existing AWS infrastructure to route traffic between VPCs via private IP addresses, leveraging the same highly available and redundant network that inter-AZ traffic uses. It does not create a single point of failure or bandwidth bottleneck, and it supports transitive routing only if explicitly configured via route tables (though transitive peering is not supported across multiple hops). A common real-world scenario is connecting a production VPC to a shared services VPC for DNS or Active Directory, where low latency and high throughput are critical.
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 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.
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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: VPC peering — VPC peering is the correct choice because it enables direct private IP connectivity between two VPCs using the AWS global network, without requiring internet gateways, VPNs, or physical connections. It is simple to set up (no additional hardware or software), low-cost (no per-hour charges, only data transfer costs), and provides high throughput (bandwidth is limited only by the instance types, not by the peering connection itself).
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: Jun 11, 2026
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