The correct approach is to combine an Allow effect for ec2:RunInstances with two separate condition blocks: one using ec2:InstanceType to restrict allowed instance families and another using ec2:RequestTag/CostCenter to require the tag at launch. This works because IAM policy conditions are evaluated as logical ANDs within a single statement, so both the instance type restriction and the tag requirement must be satisfied simultaneously for the action to be permitted. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to enforce both resource-level and request-level conditions in a single policy, often appearing as a multi-select question where you must identify the two correct condition keys. A common trap is confusing ec2:ResourceTag (which checks tags on existing resources) with ec2:RequestTag (which checks tags provided in the API call), so always use RequestTag for launch-time enforcement. Memory tip: think "Request for launch, Resource for existing" to remember which tag condition key applies when.
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 wants to allow developers to launch EC2 instances, but only with specific instance types and only if the instance has a tag 'CostCenter'. Which IAM policy statement should be applied to the developers' IAM group? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Allow ec2:RunInstances with a condition that the request includes a 'CostCenter' tag.
Option A is correct because the IAM policy condition 'ec2:RequestTag/CostCenter' ensures that the developer's RunInstances request includes the required 'CostCenter' tag, enforcing tagging compliance at launch time. Option B is correct because a condition using 'ec2:InstanceType' with a 'ForAllValues:StringLike' or 'StringEquals' operator restricts allowed instance types to a specific list, preventing unauthorized instance families or sizes.
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.
✓
Allow ec2:RunInstances with a condition that the request includes a 'CostCenter' tag.
Why this is correct
This ensures tagging is enforced.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Allow ec2:RunInstances with a condition that the instance type is in an allowed list.
Why this is correct
This restricts instance types.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Allow ec2:RunInstances without conditions.
Why it's wrong here
This would allow all instances.
✗
Deny ec2:RunInstances if the instance type is not in the allowed list.
Why it's wrong here
This is a deny statement, but combined with an allow, it can be redundant; better to use allow with condition.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose a Deny-based approach (Option D) thinking it is more secure, but they overlook that without an explicit Allow, the implicit deny blocks all actions, and the Deny condition does not enforce the tagging requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IAM policy evaluation logic uses an explicit deny override, so a Deny statement with a condition that the instance type is not in the allowed list would block only those specific types, but without an Allow statement for ec2:RunInstances, the implicit deny would block all launches. The correct approach uses Allow with conditions using the 'ec2:InstanceType' and 'ec2:RequestTag/CostCenter' condition keys, which are evaluated at request time. In real-world scenarios, you might combine these with a 'ForAnyValue:StringLike' condition to handle multiple allowed instance types and use 'aws:RequestTag' to enforce tag presence.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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: Allow ec2:RunInstances with a condition that the request includes a 'CostCenter' tag. — Option A is correct because the IAM policy condition 'ec2:RequestTag/CostCenter' ensures that the developer's RunInstances request includes the required 'CostCenter' tag, enforcing tagging compliance at launch time. Option B is correct because a condition using 'ec2:InstanceType' with a 'ForAllValues:StringLike' or 'StringEquals' operator restricts allowed instance types to a specific list, preventing unauthorized instance families or sizes.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This SAP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAP-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.