A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows you to create a logically isolated network within the AWS cloud, giving you control over your virtual environment. Think of it as your private data center in the cloud, where you define everything from the IP address range to how your network routes traffic.
When you create a VPC, you start by defining the IP address range for the network using CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) notation. You then divide this network into smaller sections called subnets, which can be either public or private. Public subnets can directly communicate with the internet, while private subnets stay isolated unless you specifically allow access. For example, a web server can be placed in a public subnet, and a database server can be placed in a private subnet to protect sensitive data.
Each VPC automatically comes with a default route table, which controls traffic flow within your network. You can also create custom route tables to define more specific rules. AWS provides a virtual internet gateway for public subnets to access the internet. For secure connections between your on-premises network and your VPC, AWS offers a Virtual Private Gateway, allowing you to extend your private data center to the cloud securely.
Security in a VPC is handled through Network Access Control Lists (ACLs) and Security Groups. These allow you to define which IP addresses or ranges can access specific resources in your VPC, providing a layered approach to securing your cloud infrastructure. A VPC gives you complete control over your network environment, from designing subnets to managing traffic routing, ensuring you can securely run applications in the AWS cloud.
Reference:
Amazon. (2024). What is Amazon VPC? - amazon virtual private cloud. Amazon Web Services. https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/userguide/what-is-amazon-vpc.html
