/ˌviː-piː-siː/
n. “A logically isolated virtual network in the cloud that allows secure control over networking and resources.”
VPC, short for Virtual Private Cloud, is a service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that lets users create a private, isolated section of the cloud. Within a VPC, you can define IP address ranges, subnets, routing tables, and network gateways, giving fine-grained control over how resources communicate and connect to the internet or other networks.
VPCs are often used to deploy secure applications, run multi-tier architectures, and isolate sensitive workloads while still taking advantage of AWS’s scalable infrastructure.
Key characteristics of VPC include:
- Network Isolation: Provides a logically separate network environment for security and control.
- Subnet Management: Allows segmentation into public, private, and isolated subnets.
- Routing Control: Customizable route tables and gateways for managing traffic flow.
- Security: Supports security groups and network ACLs to control inbound and outbound traffic.
- Hybrid Connectivity: Can connect to on-premises networks via VPN or AWS Direct Connect.
Conceptual example of VPC usage:
// Setting up a VPC
Create VPC with CIDR block (e.g., 10.0.0.0/16)
Divide into public and private subnets
Attach Internet Gateway for public access
Configure route tables and security groups
Launch EC2 instances and other resources within subnetsConceptually, a VPC is like building your own private neighborhood in the cloud, where you control who can enter, how resources communicate, and how traffic flows in and out, all while leveraging the scalable infrastructure of AWS.