easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CV0-004 Direct connection Practice Question
A company is migrating its on-premises workload to a public cloud. The security team wants to ensure that all data transmitted between the on-premises network and the cloud VPC is encrypted in transit and that the connection uses dedicated bandwidth. Which of the following should the security team implement?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates often focus on the encryption requirement and choose the VPN (Option C), overlooking that the question explicitly requires dedicated bandwidth. A direct connection (Option D) provides dedicated bandwidth and can be combined with encryption, while the VPN cannot guarantee bandwidth.
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
✓
Set up a direct connection between the on-premises router and the cloud VPC.
A dedicated connection (e.g., AWS Direct Connect or Azure ExpressRoute) provides a private physical link with dedicated bandwidth between on-premises and the cloud VPC. While encryption is not inherent, it can be added using IPsec over the direct connection or by using encrypted protocols on top. This combination satisfies both requirements: dedicated bandwidth and encryption in transit. Option C (site-to-site VPN) encrypts traffic but uses shared internet bandwidth, failing the dedicated bandwidth requirement. Therefore, D is the best answer.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Attach an internet gateway to the VPC and use public IP addresses.
Why it's wrong here
An internet gateway with public IPs does not provide a private dedicated connection; traffic goes over the public internet without inherent encryption or dedicated bandwidth.
- ✗
Use a NAT gateway to translate private IPs to public IPs.
Why it's wrong here
A NAT gateway translates private IPs to public IPs for outbound traffic only, not for a site-to-site connection. It does not provide encryption or dedicated bandwidth.
- ✗
Configure a site-to-site VPN between the on-premises network and the cloud VPC.
Why it's wrong here
A site-to-site VPN encrypts data in transit using IPsec, but it operates over the public internet and does not guarantee dedicated bandwidth. It fails the dedicated bandwidth requirement.
- ✓
Set up a direct connection between the on-premises router and the cloud VPC.
Why this is correct
A dedicated connection (direct connection) provides a private, dedicated physical link between on-premises and the cloud VPC, meeting the bandwidth requirement. Encryption can be applied separately, making it the correct choice.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CV0-004 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 CV0-004 exam.