The answer is to create a VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3. This is correct because a Gateway Endpoint uses Amazon’s private network to route traffic from your private subnets directly to S3, bypassing the need for a NAT Gateway or internet gateway entirely. It works by adding a prefix list to the route table of your private subnets, directing S3-bound traffic through the endpoint rather than over the public internet. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of cost-effective, private connectivity options—a common trap is confusing Gateway Endpoints with Interface Endpoints, but remember that S3 and DynamoDB are the only services that support Gateway Endpoints, which are free and do not require additional IP addresses. A useful memory tip: Gateway Endpoints are like a private tunnel for S3, while Interface Endpoints are for everything else.
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 a VPC with multiple subnets. The SysOps administrator wants to ensure that EC2 instances in a private subnet can access Amazon S3 without going through a NAT Gateway or internet gateway. Which solution meets this requirement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3.
Option D is correct. VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3 allows private access to S3 without internet. Option A is wrong because NAT Gateway requires an internet gateway. Option B is wrong because S3 Transfer Acceleration is for speed, not private access. Option C is wrong because VPC Interface Endpoint is for other services, but Gateway Endpoint is more cost-effective for S3.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Set up a NAT Gateway in a public subnet and route traffic through it.
Transfer Acceleration is for faster uploads, not private access.
✗
Create a VPC Interface Endpoint for S3.
Why it's wrong here
Interface Endpoint is possible but more expensive; Gateway Endpoint is better for S3.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SOA-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Networking and Content Delivery — This question tests Networking and Content Delivery — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3. — Option D is correct. VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3 allows private access to S3 without internet. Option A is wrong because NAT Gateway requires an internet gateway. Option B is wrong because S3 Transfer Acceleration is for speed, not private access. Option C is wrong because VPC Interface Endpoint is for other services, but Gateway Endpoint is more cost-effective for S3.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SOA-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
About these practice questions
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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. A SysOps Administrator is configuring a VPC with a public subnet and a private subnet. The public subnet has an Internet Gateway. An EC2 instance in the private subnet needs to access an S3 bucket. What is the MOST secure way to provide this access?
hard
A.Attach an Internet Gateway to the private subnet.
✓ B.Create a VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3 in the private subnet's route table.
C.Use a VPC peering connection to an S3 bucket.
D.Create a NAT Gateway in the public subnet and route traffic through it.
Why B: Option D is correct because a VPC Gateway Endpoint for S3 provides private connectivity without traversing the internet. Option A is wrong because a NAT Gateway with a public subnet is less secure and incurs costs. Option B is wrong because an Internet Gateway would expose the instance. Option C is wrong because VPC peering does not provide S3 access.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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