The answer is Azure VPN Gateway. This service is the correct choice because it provides a dedicated virtual private network gateway that creates an encrypted tunnel over the public internet using IPsec/IKE protocols, enabling secure site-to-site or point-to-site connectivity between your on-premises networks and Azure virtual networks. For the AZ-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of hybrid networking services, specifically how to connect an on-premises datacenter to Azure securely without a dedicated private line. A common trap is confusing Azure VPN Gateway with Azure ExpressRoute, but remember: VPN Gateway uses the internet with encryption, while ExpressRoute uses a private, dedicated connection that bypasses the internet entirely. For a quick memory tip, think “VPN = Virtual Private Network over the internet,” and associate the word “gateway” with the device that sits at the edge of your Azure virtual network to accept encrypted traffic from your on-premises location.
AZ-900 Describe Azure architecture and services Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe azure architecture and services. 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.
Which Azure service provides a virtual private network gateway for connecting on-premises networks to Azure virtual networks over the internet?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure VPN Gateway
Azure VPNGateway is the correct service because it provides a dedicated virtual private network (VPN) gateway that enables secure site-to-site (S2S) or point-to-site (P2S) connectivity between on-premises networks and Azure virtual networks over the public internet using IPsec/IKE protocols. It creates an encrypted tunnel across the internet, making it the appropriate choice for internet-based hybrid connectivity.
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.
✗
Azure ExpressRoute
Why it's wrong here
ExpressRoute provides private dedicated connectivity; VPNGateway uses encrypted tunnels over the public internet.
✗
Azure Virtual Network
Why it's wrong here
VNet is the private network in Azure; VPNGateway provides the encrypted connection to on-premises.
✓
Azure VPN Gateway
Why this is correct
VPNGateway provides encrypted site-to-site and point-to-site connectivity between on-premises and Azure over the internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Bastion
Why it's wrong here
Bastion provides secure VM access via browser; VPNGateway connects on-premises networks to Azure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Virtual Network (the container for networking resources) with the VPNGateway service itself, forgetting that a VPN gateway is a separate resource type that must be deployed inside a virtual network to enable encrypted internet-based connectivity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure VPNGateway uses a dedicated gateway subnet and supports both active-standby and active-active configurations for high availability. It relies on IKEv1 or IKEv2 for key exchange and can support up to 30 S2S tunnels per gateway (for the VpnGw1-5 SKUs). A common real-world scenario is connecting a branch office with a local router to an Azure VNet using a policy-based or route-based VPN, where the route-based (VpnGw1-5) gateway is recommended for compatibility with most third-party devices.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-900 question in full detail.
Describe Azure architecture and services — This question tests Describe Azure architecture and services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure VPN Gateway — Azure VPN Gateway is the correct service because it provides a dedicated virtual private network (VPN) gateway that enables secure site-to-site (S2S) or point-to-site (P2S) connectivity between on-premises networks and Azure virtual networks over the public internet using IPsec/IKE protocols. It creates an encrypted tunnel across the internet, making it the appropriate choice for internet-based hybrid connectivity.
What should I do if I get this AZ-900 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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