The correct answer is to attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and add a route to it only in the route tables for the public subnets. This works because an Internet Gateway (IGW) acts as a horizontally scaled, redundant target for internet-bound traffic, and routing decisions are made at the subnet level via route tables. By adding a default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to the IGW exclusively in the public subnet’s route table, web servers in those subnets can reach the internet for updates, while database servers in private subnets remain isolated since their route tables lack that entry. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of subnet-level routing and the principle of least privilege for network access. A common trap is assuming that attaching an IGW to the VPC automatically grants internet access to all subnets, but the key is that each subnet’s route table must explicitly include the IGW route. Memory tip: “IGW is the door, but the route table is the key—only public subnets get the key.”
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 a web application deployed in a VPC with both public and private subnets. The web servers are in public subnets and the database servers are in private subnets. The web servers need to access the internet for updates. Which configuration is required to provide internet access to the web servers while keeping the database servers private?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and add a route to it only in the route tables for the public subnets.
Option C is correct because an Internet Gateway (IGW) is required for any subnet that needs direct internet access. By attaching an IGW to the VPC and adding a default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to the IGW only in the public subnet route tables, web servers in those subnets can reach the internet. Database servers in private subnets remain isolated because their route tables lack the IGW route, preventing direct inbound or outbound internet traffic.
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.
✗
Place both web and database servers in private subnets and use a NAT Gateway for outbound internet access.
Why it's wrong here
Web servers need inbound internet traffic, so they need public subnets.
✗
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and add a route to it in the route tables for both public and private subnets.
Why it's wrong here
Private subnets should not have internet route.
✓
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and add a route to it only in the route tables for the public subnets.
Why this is correct
This provides inbound and outbound internet to public subnets while private subnets remain isolated.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a VPC Gateway Endpoint to provide internet access to the web servers.
Why it's wrong here
Gateway Endpoints only work for specific AWS services like S3 and DynamoDB.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the role of an Internet Gateway with a NAT Gateway, assuming that adding an IGW route to all subnets is necessary for outbound access, but this would break the isolation of private subnets by allowing direct inbound traffic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
An Internet Gateway is a horizontally scaled, redundant VPC component that allows communication between a VPC and the internet. It performs NAT for instances with public IPs, translating private IPs to the instance's associated Elastic IP or public IP. For outbound-only access from private subnets, a NAT Gateway or NAT instance is required, which uses the IGW but hides private IPs. The distinction between public and private subnets is purely a routing decision: a subnet is public if its route table has a 0.0.0.0/0 route to an IGW; otherwise, it is private.
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.
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 — 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: Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and add a route to it only in the route tables for the public subnets. — Option C is correct because an Internet Gateway (IGW) is required for any subnet that needs direct internet access. By attaching an IGW to the VPC and adding a default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to the IGW only in the public subnet route tables, web servers in those subnets can reach the internet. Database servers in private subnets remain isolated because their route tables lack the IGW route, preventing direct inbound or outbound internet traffic.
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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Question Discussion
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