- A
Configure an IAM identity provider to use the on-premises Active Directory.
Why wrong: IAM identity providers are for federating AWS API access, not for application-level authentication.
- B
Establish a two-way forest trust between the on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD.
This enables users to authenticate with their existing credentials.
- C
Store AD credentials in AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store and retrieve them at runtime.
Why wrong: Parameter Store is not designed for AD authentication integration.
- D
Use AWS Resource Access Manager to share the AWS Managed Microsoft AD directory with other accounts in the organization.
RAM allows the directory to be used by multiple accounts.
- E
Deploy AWS Managed Microsoft AD in each account and configure replication.
Why wrong: This is unnecessary and increases complexity; sharing a single directory is more efficient.
Quick Answer
The answer is to establish a two-way forest trust between on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD, and then use AWS Resource Access Manager to share the directory with other accounts in the organization. This combination is correct because the two-way forest trust allows Kerberos and NTLM authentication to flow seamlessly between the on-premises environment and the AWS cloud, enabling users to authenticate without separate credentials, while AWS RAM extends that trust across the multi-account structure by sharing the directory object with all accounts in AWS Organizations. On the SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of hybrid identity federation combined with cross-account resource sharing, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly try to create separate trusts for each account or use IAM roles instead. A common trap is forgetting that AWS Managed Microsoft AD itself must be shared via RAM, not recreated per account. Memory tip: think “Trust + Share” — the forest trust bridges the on-premises gap, and RAM bridges the account gap.
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 global e-commerce company is migrating its on-premises application to AWS. The application uses Active Directory for authentication and requires integration with AWS Managed Microsoft AD. The company has a multi-account strategy using AWS Organizations. Which TWO steps should the solutions architect take to ensure seamless authentication across the organization?
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
Establish a two-way forest trust between the on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD.
Option B is correct because establishing a two-way forest trust between on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD allows users authenticated by the on-premises AD to access resources in the AWS cloud without needing separate credentials. This trust enables Kerberos and NTLM authentication to flow seamlessly between the two forests, supporting the company's requirement for integration with AWS Managed Microsoft AD.
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.
- ✗
Configure an IAM identity provider to use the on-premises Active Directory.
Why it's wrong here
IAM identity providers are for federating AWS API access, not for application-level authentication.
- ✓
Establish a two-way forest trust between the on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD.
Why this is correct
This enables users to authenticate with their existing credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Store AD credentials in AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store and retrieve them at runtime.
Why it's wrong here
Parameter Store is not designed for AD authentication integration.
- ✓
Use AWS Resource Access Manager to share the AWS Managed Microsoft AD directory with other accounts in the organization.
Why this is correct
RAM allows the directory to be used by multiple accounts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Deploy AWS Managed Microsoft AD in each account and configure replication.
Why it's wrong here
This is unnecessary and increases complexity; sharing a single directory is more efficient.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse IAM identity providers (Option A) with Active Directory trust relationships, or they incorrectly assume that storing credentials in Parameter Store (Option C) is a valid authentication strategy for directory integration, when in fact the correct approach is to establish a forest trust and share the directory via RAM.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A two-way forest trust uses Kerberos v5 authentication and requires proper DNS resolution between the on-premises and AWS Managed Microsoft AD domains. The trust must be configured with the correct trust type (forest trust) and direction (two-way), and the on-premises AD must have network connectivity to the AWS Managed Microsoft AD endpoints (TCP/UDP 53 for DNS, TCP/UDP 88 for Kerberos, TCP 135 for RPC, TCP 445 for SMB, and TCP 389/636 for LDAP). In a multi-account strategy, AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM) shares the AWS Managed Microsoft AD directory with other accounts, allowing them to join EC2 instances and other resources to the shared directory without deploying separate directories.
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 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
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: Establish a two-way forest trust between the on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD. — Option B is correct because establishing a two-way forest trust between on-premises Active Directory and AWS Managed Microsoft AD allows users authenticated by the on-premises AD to access resources in the AWS cloud without needing separate credentials. This trust enables Kerberos and NTLM authentication to flow seamlessly between the two forests, supporting the company's requirement for integration with AWS Managed Microsoft AD.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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