The answer is to apply a Service Control Policy (SCP) that denies the redshift:CreateCluster action to the organizational unit containing the developer accounts. This is correct because SCPs act as a centralized permission guardrail at the AWS Organizations level, allowing you to deny Redshift cluster creation across all accounts without needing to touch individual account IAM policies. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of governance at scale—specifically how SCPs differ from IAM policies, which require per-account manual setup, and from services like AWS Config or CloudTrail, which audit but cannot block actions. A common trap is confusing SCPs with IAM; remember that SCPs set a maximum permission boundary for all accounts in an organization, while IAM policies grant permissions within that boundary. Memory tip: SCPs are the “bouncer at the door” for the entire AWS organization—deny once, enforce everywhere.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company has a central IT team that manages multiple AWS accounts. The team wants to allow developers to create resources in their own accounts but wants to restrict the use of certain expensive services like Amazon Redshift. The developers should not be able to launch Redshift clusters in any account. What is the MOST efficient way to achieve this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply an SCP that denies redshift:CreateCluster to the organizational unit containing the developer accounts.
Option A is correct because SCPs can deny the redshift:CreateCluster action across all accounts in the organization. Option B is wrong because IAM policies in each account require manual setup. Option C is wrong because AWS Config cannot deny actions. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail does not prevent actions.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Apply an SCP that denies redshift:CreateCluster to the organizational unit containing the developer accounts.
Why this is correct
SCPs provide centralized control across accounts.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor cluster creation and alert the security team.
Why it's wrong here
Alerts do not prevent creation.
✗
Create an IAM policy that denies redshift:CreateCluster and attach it to the developers' IAM groups in each account.
Why it's wrong here
Requires per-account management, not efficient.
✗
Use AWS Config rules to detect Redshift cluster creation and automatically delete them.
Why it's wrong here
Reactive and may incur costs before deletion.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply an SCP that denies redshift:CreateCluster to the organizational unit containing the developer accounts. — Option A is correct because SCPs can deny the redshift:CreateCluster action across all accounts in the organization. Option B is wrong because IAM policies in each account require manual setup. Option C is wrong because AWS Config cannot deny actions. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail does not prevent actions.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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