AWS Certification

AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01) Practice Test

Prepare for the AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty exam with free practice tests built around advanced AWS networking, hybrid connectivity, operations, and network security. Each 20-question set uses a proportional timer based on the real ANS-C01 pace of about 2.6 minutes per question.

9Practice Tests
180Total Questions
4Domains Covered
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About the AWS Advanced Networking - Specialty Exam

Everything you need to know about ANS-C01, including exam format, recommended experience, blueprint weights, career fit, and how to use these free practice tests effectively.

What Is the AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty?

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01) validates advanced technical skill in designing, implementing, managing, and securing AWS and hybrid network architectures at scale. It is built for professionals who work with complex connectivity, routing, DNS, load balancing, hybrid cloud networking, automation, and secure network controls across AWS environments.

This certification is especially relevant for cloud network engineers, cloud architects, network security engineers, solutions architects, site reliability engineers, and infrastructure specialists who support production AWS workloads. In the United States, information security analysts had a May 2024 median annual wage of $124,910, and employment in that occupation is projected to grow 29% from 2024 to 2034, making advanced cloud networking and security skills valuable for long-term career growth.

Exam Format (2026)

Testing method: Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored exam.

Questions: 65 total questions, including 50 scored questions and 15 unscored questions.

Duration: 170 minutes.

Question types: Multiple-choice, multiple-response, and matching-style objective items described in the AWS exam guide.

Passing score: 700 on a scaled score from 100 to 1,000.

Exam fee: $300 USD, with local pricing and taxes varying by country.

Eligibility Requirements

Required prerequisite: AWS does not require a prerequisite certification before scheduling ANS-C01.

Recommended experience: The target candidate should have 5 or more years of networking experience and 2 or more years of cloud and hybrid networking experience.

AWS knowledge: Candidates should understand AWS networking nuances, AWS security best practices, and AWS compute and storage options that affect network design.

Helpful background: AWS recommends that candidates may benefit from earning an AWS Associate and/or Professional certification before attempting this Specialty exam.

Validity: AWS Specialty certifications are valid for 3 years and must be renewed through recertification.

ANS-C01 Domain Weights — Official Exam Guide

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty exam blueprint has four content domains. These weights apply to scored exam content and guide the distribution used in our mixed practice tests.

DomainTopicWeight
Domain 1Network Design30%
Domain 2Network Implementation26%
Domain 3Network Management and Operation20%
Domain 4Network Security, Compliance, and Governance24%

How Our Practice Tests Are Designed

Blueprint-aligned coverage — Mixed sets follow the official ANS-C01 domain distribution, so Network Design and Network Implementation receive slightly more emphasis while security, operations, and governance remain strongly represented.

Scenario-based networking decisions — Questions focus on real architecture tradeoffs: choosing Direct Connect or VPN patterns, designing Transit Gateway routing, selecting Route 53 DNS options, applying load balancing, and building secure hybrid connectivity.

Proportional timer — The real exam allows 170 minutes for 65 questions, which is about 2.6 minutes per question. Each 20-question practice test is timed at approximately 52 minutes to help you build realistic pacing.

Domain-specific deep dives — Domain-wise tests let you focus on one blueprint area at a time. Use them after mixed sets to strengthen weak areas such as network troubleshooting, secure traffic inspection, or hybrid connectivity design.

ANS-C01 Exam Preparation Tips

Study Strategy

Master hybrid connectivity: Spend extra time on Direct Connect, Site-to-Site VPN, Transit Gateway, route propagation, BGP, high availability, and multi-account connectivity designs.

Practice service selection: Compare Route 53 Resolver, CloudFront, Global Accelerator, Elastic Load Balancing, PrivateLink, VPC peering, NAT gateways, and Network Firewall across realistic scenarios.

Review security in context: ANS-C01 expects you to combine network architecture with security controls. Study segmentation, encryption, inspection, firewall policies, IAM permissions, AWS WAF, Shield, and governance services together.

Test-Taking Strategy

Read for constraints: Look for requirements like lowest latency, private connectivity, overlapping CIDRs, centralized inspection, multi-region resiliency, compliance logging, or minimal operational overhead.

Use the timer carefully: With about 2.6 minutes per question, avoid spending too long on one complex diagram or scenario. Mark a decision, move forward, and maintain steady pacing.

Eliminate risky architectures: Remove answers that create single points of failure, expose traffic publicly when private connectivity is required, ignore route table behavior, or fail to meet high availability requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the AWS ANS-C01 exam?+
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01) exam has 65 total questions and a 170-minute testing window. AWS notes that 50 questions affect your score and 15 unscored questions are used for future exam evaluation.
What is the passing score for ANS-C01?+
The ANS-C01 exam uses scaled scoring from 100 to 1,000, and the minimum passing score is 700. AWS uses a compensatory scoring model, so you need to pass overall rather than pass every domain separately.
Are these ANS-C01 practice tests free?+
Yes. All AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01) practice tests on Security Practice Test are free to use, including mixed sets, domain-wise mock tests, and the free PDF study option when available.
How are mixed set questions distributed across domains?+
Mixed sets follow the official ANS-C01 blueprint proportions: Network Design 30%, Network Implementation 26%, Network Management and Operation 20%, and Network Security, Compliance, and Governance 24%.
How long should I study for AWS Advanced Networking - Specialty?+
Many candidates spend 8 to 12 weeks preparing, depending on their AWS networking background. Candidates who already build Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, Route 53, VPC, VPN, and network security solutions may need less time than those new to AWS hybrid networking.
Can I retake the ANS-C01 exam if I fail?+
Yes. AWS requires a 14-calendar-day wait before retaking a failed exam. There is no limit on attempts, but you must pay the full exam fee for each attempt.
What question types appear on the ANS-C01 exam?+
The exam includes objective-style items such as multiple-choice and multiple-response questions. The official exam guide also describes matching-style items, so practice should include scenario analysis and careful comparison of answer choices.
Do I need AWS experience before taking ANS-C01?+
AWS does not list a formal prerequisite, but the target candidate should have 5 or more years of networking experience and 2 or more years of cloud and hybrid networking experience. AWS Associate or Professional certification is recommended before this Specialty exam.

Ready to Test Your AWS Advanced Networking Knowledge?

Start with a mixed ANS-C01 set to check your readiness, then use the domain-wise tests to improve network design, implementation, operations, and security skills.

Start ANS-C01 Practice Test 1 →

Authors

  • Security Practice Test Editorial Team

    Security Practice Test Editorial Team is the expert content team at SecurityPracticeTest.com dedicated to producing authoritative cybersecurity certification exam-prep resources. We create comprehensive practice tests, study materials, and exam-focused content for top security certifications including CompTIA Security+, SecurityX, PenTest+, CISSP, CCSP, SSCP, Certified in Cybersecurity (CC), CGRC, CISM, SC-900, SC-200, AZ-500, AWS Certified Security - Specialty, Professional Cloud Security Engineer, OSCP+, GIAC certifications, CREST certifications, Check Point, Cisco, Fortinet, and Palo Alto Networks exams. Our content is developed through careful review of official exam objectives, cybersecurity knowledge domains, and practical job-relevant concepts to help learners build confidence, strengthen understanding, and prepare effectively for certification success.

  • Sudhanshu Thakur - Reviewer

    Enterprise Technology and Digital Transformation Professional with 18+ years of experience in enterprise software, SaaS, industrial automation, and business consulting. Formerly associated with Rockwell Automation, Tech Mahindra, Emerson, ABB, L&T Infotech, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.