SOA-C02 Networking and Content Delivery Practice Question
Which TWO AWS services can be used to provide a static IP address for an Application Load Balancer? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
SOA-C02 often tests the misconception that an ALB can be assigned an Elastic IP like an EC2 instance — candidates must remember that only NLB (and Global Accelerator) provide static IPs for ALB-fronted workloads.
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
✓
Network Load Balancer (with Elastic IP)
Option C is correct because an Application Load Balancer cannot have an Elastic IP directly, but you can place a Network Load Balancer in front of it; the NLB supports Elastic IP addresses (one per subnet/AZ), giving the ALB a static IP entry point. Option D is correct because AWS Global Accelerator provides two static anycast IPv4 addresses (and optionally IPv6) that route traffic to the ALB, effectively giving it fixed IP addresses. Option A is incorrect because a Route 53 static DNS name is still a DNS name, not a static IP address. Option B is incorrect because Elastic IP addresses cannot be assigned directly to an Application Load Balancer. Option E is incorrect because Application Load Balancers do not support Elastic IP addresses; their IPs are dynamic and can change.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon Route 53 with static DNS name
Why it's wrong here
Amazon Route 53 does not supply static IP addresses; it is a DNS service that resolves a human-friendly name to a resource's IP. A static DNS name (e.g., an A record pointing to a fixed IP) still requires another service to actually host that fixed IP. If the underlying resource IP changes, the DNS name cannot preserve the original static address unless the record is manually updated, so this does not provide a static IP.
- ✗
Elastic IP address assigned to the ALB
Why it's wrong here
Elastic IP addresses are designed for use with EC2 instances, NAT gateways, or Network Load Balancers (NLBs), but not for Application Load Balancers (ALBs). An ALB is an AWS-managed Layer 7 load balancer that is fully DNS-based, and AWS does not allow you to associate an Elastic IP with it. Even if you tried to assign an Elastic IP in the same VPC, the ALB's service itself rejects the association, so this option is invalid.
- ✓
Network Load Balancer (with Elastic IP)
Why this is correct
A Network Load Balancer (NLB) is a Layer 4 load balancer that supports Elastic IP address association per Availability Zone. Each Elastic IP assigned to an NLB subnet provides a static public IP that remains constant, giving clients a fixed address for whitelisting or legacy applications. The NLB can then forward traffic to targets such as an Application Load Balancer, EC2 instances, or other services, making it a valid way to expose a static IP.
- ✓
AWS Global Accelerator
Why this is correct
AWS Global Accelerator provides two static anycast IP addresses that are globally accessible from AWS edge locations. These static IPs are fixed and independent of underlying resources, and Global Accelerator can route traffic to Application Load Balancers, Network Load Balancers, or EC2 instances across multiple regions. This is a valid static IP solution that also improves latency and provides global routing, distinguishing it from ALB's DNS-only architecture.
- ✗
Application Load Balancer (with Elastic IP)
Why it's wrong here
An Application Load Balancer (ALB) operates at Layer 7 and only exposes a DNS name, not a static IP address. AWS does not support associating an Elastic IP with an ALB; the ALB's underlying IP addresses are dynamic and managed by AWS. Even if a static IP is needed for security groups or client whitelisting, an ALB cannot fulfill that requirement, so this option is incorrect.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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.