CompTIA Network+ Practice Test 2026 - Free Network+ Practice Questions and Exam Prep Guide

A VPC NAT Gateway serves the primary function of connecting private cloud subnets to external resources, such as the internet. This enables instances in a private subnet to access external services or the internet while preventing unsolicited inbound traffic from reaching those instances. NAT stands for Network Address Translation, meaning that while the private instances use private IP addresses, the NAT Gateway allows them to initiate outbound traffic to the public internet, and it handles the translation of those private IP addresses to a public IP address.

Rather than establishing VPN connections for users, providing local storage, or limiting access to public cloud services, the NAT Gateway specifically facilitates outbound internet traffic and maintains the security of private subnets by not allowing direct inbound access. This distinct role makes it an essential component in a cloud infrastructure where secure communication is necessary while still requiring some level of access to public resources.