CAS-004 Security Architecture Practice Question
A security architect is designing a secure connectivity solution between an on-premises data center and a public cloud provider. The solution must provide low latency, high bandwidth, and avoid traversing the public internet. Which approach BEST meets these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that any encrypted tunnel (VPN) satisfies 'private connectivity' — CAS-005 often tests the distinction between encryption over the public internet versus a physically dedicated private circuit.
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
✓
Direct Connect
AWS Direct Connect (and equivalent dedicated cloud interconnects) provides a private, dedicated network connection from on-premises to the cloud provider, bypassing the public internet entirely. This delivers consistent low latency, high bandwidth (up to 100 Gbps per port with link aggregation), and predictable performance that internet-based options cannot guarantee.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SSL VPN
Why it's wrong here
An SSL VPN rides the public internet, so it cannot guarantee the low latency, high bandwidth or private path the scenario demands. It is tempting because SSL VPNs are easy to deploy for remote access, but dedicated private interconnect is required when traffic must bypass the internet entirely.
- ✗
SD-WAN over internet
Why it's wrong here
SD-WAN over internet still forwards traffic across public networks, failing the requirement to avoid the public internet and to guarantee low latency and high bandwidth. It is tempting because SD-WAN intelligently steers traffic across multiple links, but that optimisation applies to branch connectivity, not private data-centre-to-cloud paths.
- ✓
Direct Connect
Why this is correct
Direct Connect provisions a dedicated private circuit between the on-premises data centre and the cloud provider, bypassing the public internet entirely. This satisfies all three stated constraints simultaneously: low latency, high bandwidth, and no internet traversal, which VPN or internet-based alternatives cannot guarantee.
- ✗
Site-to-site VPN over internet
Why it's wrong here
A site-to-site VPN tunnels over the public internet, so it cannot satisfy the requirement to avoid public internet traversal or guarantee low latency and high bandwidth. It is tempting because IPsec tunnels are cheap and encrypt traffic, but encryption does not provide a private dedicated path.
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About these practice questions
One of 973 original CAS-005 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 CompTIA exam blueprint
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.