VPC Core Components

Explore the core components of a VPC and how they work together to create a secure network.

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in Amazon Web Services is important for constructing flexible and secure cloud architectures. Functioning as an isolated virtual network environment within the AWS cloud, a VPC enables users to define their virtual network topology, including IP address ranges, subnets, route tables, and network gateways.

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VPC lies at the core of networking in AWS. Thus, it’s important to understand its components and structure. Let’s start by first breaking down the components of a VPC.

Key components of a VPC

The following are some key components that are important to establish and manage a networking environment:

  • Subnets: Within a VPC, subnets are like smaller neighborhoods, dividing the overall IP address range into manageable segments. Each subnet is associated with a specific Availability Zone (AZ), which ensures redundancy and fault tolerance. We’ll learn more about subnets in the lesson ahead.

  • Route tables: Think of route tables as traffic directors within the VPC. They determine how network traffic flows between subnets and external networks like the internet. For instance, a route table might ...