Cut Data-Transfer Cost: VPC Endpoints + Shared NAT Design

Replace NAT paths to S3 with Gateway Endpoints and add Interface Endpoints to reduce data-transfer cost.

Level: Intermediate · Time: about 120 minutes · Region: us-east-1

AWS services you'll use

What you'll do in this lab

  1. Create the VPC
  2. Create the public and private subnets
  3. Create and attach an Internet Gateway
  4. Create the public route table (0.0.0.0/0 → IGW)
  5. Allocate EIP and create the NAT Gateway
  6. Create the private route table (0.0.0.0/0 → NAT)
  7. Use the existing IAM role for private EC2 to read S3
  8. Create a security group for the private instance
  9. Create SSM Interface Endpoints so you can connect without a bastion (recommended)
  10. Launch the private EC2 instance
  11. Baseline test: S3 access via NAT Gateway
  12. Create the S3 Gateway VPC Endpoint
  13. Retest S3 and capture the cost takeaway

Each task is checked against your live AWS account. Step-by-step instructions, hints and verification unlock when you start the lab.

Before you start

How the lab works

  1. Get a real, temporary AWS account locked to one region. No AWS account of your own needed.
  2. Build in the real AWS console with a guide beside it, and hints when you are stuck.
  3. Verify every task: we check the resources in your live account.
  4. Automatic cleanup: everything is deleted when you stop, and nothing is billed to you.

Questions about this lab

Do I need my own AWS account?

No. When you start the lab, Cloud Arena gives you a real, temporary AWS account with its own login, locked to one region. You work in the real AWS Management Console, not a simulator.

Will AWS charge me anything?

No. Cloud Arena pays for the AWS resources, and everything you create is deleted automatically when you stop the lab or the session ends. Nothing is billed to you by AWS.

How long does the Cut Data-Transfer Cost: VPC Endpoints + Shared NAT Design lab take?

Plan for about 120 minutes. The session timer is shown on screen, and every task is checked against your live AWS account when you click Verify.

How do I get access to this lab?

It is included in the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate plan: a one-time payment for every lab in the path, 2 attempts per lab and a 7-day money-back guarantee. You can also start with the 5 free labs.

Does this lab help with the Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam?

Yes. It is part of the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate path, which covers the hands-on skills behind the exam. Doing the task in a real account is what makes the questions easier to reason about.

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