The correct answer is to create an IAM policy that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the instance type matches an allowed list, attached to the developers' IAM group. This works because IAM policy condition keys, specifically ec2:InstanceType, allow you to evaluate the instance type parameter at the API call level, granting or denying the action based on a whitelist. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of using IAM conditions for resource-level restrictions rather than relying on service control policies (SCPs) or network controls, which are less precise for this specific requirement. A common trap is confusing deny-only logic with allow-only logic—remember that a deny with a condition is safer than an allow with a condition because it explicitly blocks non-compliant instance types while still permitting other EC2 actions. Memory tip: think “Deny the bad, allow the rest” to recall that a deny statement with a condition key is the most restrictive and scalable approach for multi-account governance.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 uses a central IT team to manage multiple AWS accounts. The team wants to provide developers with the ability to launch EC2 instances but restrict them to using only specific instance types. How should this be enforced?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an IAM policy that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the instance type matches an allowed list, and attach it to the developers' IAM group.
Option C is correct because an IAM policy with a condition key like ec2:InstanceType can deny or allow ec2:RunInstances based on specific instance types. This policy is attached to the developers' IAM group, ensuring that only permitted instance types can be launched, while still allowing other EC2 actions. This approach directly controls the API call at the IAM level, which is the most precise and scalable method for restricting resource creation across multiple accounts managed by a central IT team.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Create a service control policy in AWS Organizations that restricts instance types for all accounts.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs are broad and affect all users; they are not suitable for granular per-user restrictions.
✗
Use AWS Config to automatically terminate instances that are not of allowed types.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config can detect and remediate but does not prevent the launch.
✓
Create an IAM policy that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the instance type matches an allowed list, and attach it to the developers' IAM group.
Why this is correct
IAM policies can restrict RunInstances actions based on instance type.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure an S3 bucket policy that only allows specific instance types to be used.
Why it's wrong here
S3 bucket policies do not control EC2 instance launches.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse SCPs with IAM policies, thinking SCPs can restrict specific users or groups within an account, when in fact SCPs only set account-wide permission boundaries and require additional IAM policies to enforce fine-grained restrictions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The IAM policy uses the ec2:InstanceType condition key within a Deny statement to block any RunInstances call where the instance type does not match an allowed list (e.g., using a ForAllValues:StringEquals condition). This works because IAM policies are evaluated before the API call is executed, providing a preventive control. In a multi-account setup, this policy can be applied to a central IAM group or role, and developers assume that role via cross-account IAM roles, ensuring consistent enforcement without needing to modify each account's SCP.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM policy that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the instance type matches an allowed list, and attach it to the developers' IAM group. — Option C is correct because an IAM policy with a condition key like ec2:InstanceType can deny or allow ec2:RunInstances based on specific instance types. This policy is attached to the developers' IAM group, ensuring that only permitted instance types can be launched, while still allowing other EC2 actions. This approach directly controls the API call at the IAM level, which is the most precise and scalable method for restricting resource creation across multiple accounts managed by a central IT team.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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