Learn the purpose of an Internet Gateway in an AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and how it enables communication between your VPC and the Internet. Understand its role for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam.
Table of Contents
Question
What is the purpose of having an Internet gateway within a VPC?
A. Create a VPN connection to the VPC
B. Allow communication between the VPC and the Internet
C. Enforce bandwidth restrictions on Internet traffic
D. Load balance Internet traffic across Amazon EC2 instances
Answer
B. Allow communication between the VPC and the Internet
Explanation
An Internet gateway is a service that allows Internet traffic to come into a VPC. Otherwise, a VPC is completely segmented and the only way to access it is potentially through a VPN connection rather than an Internet connection. An Internet gateway is a logical connection between an AWS VPC and the Internet. It supports IPv4 and IPv6 traffic and does not cause availability risks or bandwidth constraints on network traffic.
An Internet Gateway (IGW) is a critical component in AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) architecture. Its primary purpose is to enable two-way communication between resources in your VPC and the Internet. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
Key Functions of an Internet Gateway
Bidirectional Communication
- It allows instances in your VPC to initiate outbound connections to the Internet.
- It also permits inbound connections from the Internet to resources within your VPC, provided they have public IP addresses and proper security configurations.
Routing Traffic
- The IGW acts as a target for internet-routable traffic in your VPC’s route tables.
- For example, you can set a route for 0.0.0.0/0 (all Internet traffic) to the IGW, enabling public access.
Support for IPv4 and IPv6
- IGWs support both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic, ensuring compatibility with modern networking standards.
Scalability and Redundancy
- An IGW is horizontally scalable, highly available, and does not impose bandwidth constraints or single points of failure.
Network Address Translation (NAT)
- For instances with private IP addresses, IGWs perform NAT to allow outbound Internet access while preventing unsolicited inbound traffic.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
A. Create a VPN connection to the VPC: VPN connections are established using a Virtual Private Gateway or AWS Site-to-Site VPN, not an Internet Gateway.
C. Enforce bandwidth restrictions on Internet traffic: IGWs do not manage or enforce bandwidth limitations; this requires additional services like AWS WAF or Traffic Mirroring.
D. Load balance Internet traffic across Amazon EC2 instances: Load balancing is handled by services like Elastic Load Balancer (ELB), not by an IGW.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the purpose of an Internet Gateway is essential for passing the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, as it tests your knowledge of core AWS networking components and their functions within a VPC environment.
By attaching an IGW to your VPC and configuring appropriate route tables, you enable seamless internet connectivity for your resources while maintaining control over access through security groups and network ACLs.
Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam and earn Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 certification.