When must an API implementation be deployed to an Anypoint VPC?

An Anypoint Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is required when a Mule application deployed to CloudHub needs to integrate with resources in a private network that is not accessible over the public internet. The primary function of an Anypoint VPC is to create a logically isolated, private network space for your CloudHub workers. This private space can then be securely connected to a customer's on-premise data center or another private cloud network using methods like an IPsec VPN tunnel, AWS Direct Connect, or VPC peering. This allows the Mule application to be accessed from within the customer's restricted network as if it were part of that network.

A. Mule applications in CloudHub can access publicly exposed services over the internet by default without needing an Anypoint VPC. A VPC is for connecting to private resources.

C. The Mule Maven plugin is a deployment tool. While it can be configured to deploy to a VPC, its use does not, by itself, create the requirement for a VPC.

D. Persistent Object Store (OSv2) is a platform-level service available to all CloudHub applications, regardless of whether they are deployed within a VPC or the shared worker cloud.

1. MuleSoft Documentation, "Anypoint Virtual Private Cloud": "An Anypoint Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is a logically isolated and private network in the cloud that is dedicated to your Anypoint Platform organization. You can connect your Anypoint VPC to your private networks using a secured VPN tunnel, AWS Direct Connect, or VPC peering." This directly supports the scenario in option B where connectivity to a restricted, private network is required.

2. MuleSoft Documentation, "CloudHub Networking Guide": This guide explains that CloudHub workers, by default, are deployed in a multi-tenant environment with access to the public internet. This confirms that a VPC is not needed for public connectivity (refuting option A). The guide states, "By default, your Mule instances (CloudHub workers) are deployed to a multi-tenant cloud (the CloudHub worker cloud) that is shared among all MuleSoft customers."

3. MuleSoft Documentation, "Object Store": The documentation for Object Store v2 describes it as a service provided by Anypoint Platform for storing key-value data. It makes no mention of requiring an Anypoint VPC for persistence, thereby refuting option D.