SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
A company uses AWS Organizations with a single OU for all member accounts. The company wants to restrict the use of specific Amazon EC2 instance types across all member accounts. However, the management account should not be restricted. Which solution meets this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates think SCPs apply to all accounts including the management account, but in reality, the management account is never affected by SCPs, so attaching an SCP to the OU correctly restricts only member accounts.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Attach an SCP that denies the restricted instance types to the OU.
Service control policies (SCPs) in AWS Organizations allow you to centrally control the maximum available permissions for all accounts in an OU. By attaching an SCP that denies specific EC2 instance types to the OU, you restrict all member accounts while the management account is not affected by SCPs. This meets the requirement without impacting the management account.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor and alert when restricted instance types are launched.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail is detective, not preventive.
- ✓
Attach an SCP that denies the restricted instance types to the OU.
Why this is correct
SCPs attached to the OU apply to all member accounts but not to the management account.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy in the management account that denies the restricted instance types, and attach it to all member account users.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies in the management account do not affect users in member accounts.
- ✗
Attach an SCP to the root of the organization and exclude the management account.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs attached to the root apply to all accounts including management; you cannot exclude an account.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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