The answer is to apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies ec2:RunInstances with a condition key on ec2:ImageId. This is the most scalable solution because SCPs are applied centrally at the organization, organizational unit, or account level within AWS Organizations, allowing you to enforce allowed AMIs across hundreds of accounts without touching each one individually. The SCP uses a Deny effect with a condition that checks the ec2:ImageId against a list of approved AMI IDs, effectively blocking any EC2 instance launch that does not match the allowed set. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of preventive guardrails versus detective controls—common traps include choosing per-account IAM policies (which don’t scale) or post-launch solutions like AWS Config rules (which only detect, not prevent). Remember the key distinction: SCPs are for prevention at the organization level, while IAM policies are for granular user permissions. Memory tip: “SCP stops the launch, Config just catches the flaunt.”
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 AWS Organizations with 500 accounts. They want to enforce that all accounts use a specific set of allowed AMIs for EC2. What is the MOST scalable solution?
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 ec2:RunInstances with a condition on ec2:ImageId.
An SCP that denies RunInstances unless the AMI ID is in the allowed list is scalable. Option A is wrong because it's per-account. Option C is wrong because it doesn't prevent. Option D is wrong because it's after creation.
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.
✓
Apply an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances with a condition on ec2:ImageId.
Why this is correct
SCP applies to all accounts in the organization.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Config to detect non-compliant AMIs and stop the instances.
Why it's wrong here
Reactive and requires per-account setup.
✗
Create a service catalog product for EC2 with allowed AMIs.
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent direct EC2 launch.
✗
Use AWS Systems Manager to enforce AMI compliance.
Why it's wrong here
Systems Manager can patch but not prevent launch of non-compliant AMIs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Apply an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances with a condition on ec2:ImageId. — An SCP that denies RunInstances unless the AMI ID is in the allowed list is scalable. Option A is wrong because it's per-account. Option C is wrong because it doesn't prevent. Option D is wrong because it's after creation.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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