The correct approach is to create a Service Control Policy (SCP) that denies the ec2:RunInstances action if the required tags are not specified in the request. This works because SCPs operate at the AWS Organizations root or account level, allowing you to centrally enforce required tags on EC2 instances across all accounts in the organization before any resource is created, effectively preventing untagged instances from being launched. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between preventive controls (SCPs) and detective controls (AWS Config rules), which is a common trap—many candidates mistakenly choose AWS Config because it can detect non-compliance, but it cannot block the action. Remember the memory tip: SCPs are the bouncers at the door, while Config is the security camera that reports after the party starts.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is using AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The central IT team wants to enforce that all EC2 instances are launched with specific tags (e.g., CostCenter and Environment). The solution should prevent any untagged instances from being created. Which approach should be taken?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an SCP that denies the ec2:RunInstances action if the required tags are not specified in the request.
Option D is correct because an SCP can deny the ec2:RunInstances action if the required tags are not present. Option A is wrong because AWS Config rules can detect non-compliance but cannot prevent the action. Option B is wrong because IAM policies in each account would require manual management. Option C is wrong because tagging is not enforced at launch.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 Service Catalog to provision EC2 instances only from pre-configured products that include required tags.
Why it's wrong here
This does not prevent users from launching instances outside Service Catalog.
✗
Use an AWS Config rule to detect untagged instances and trigger a Lambda function to terminate them.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive, not preventive.
✓
Create an SCP that denies the ec2:RunInstances action if the required tags are not specified in the request.
Why this is correct
SCPs can enforce tagging requirements at the organization level.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Create an IAM policy for each account that requires tags on instance creation.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies cannot enforce tags at launch time; they can only check condition keys.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an SCP that denies the ec2:RunInstances action if the required tags are not specified in the request. — Option D is correct because an SCP can deny the ec2:RunInstances action if the required tags are not present. Option A is wrong because AWS Config rules can detect non-compliance but cannot prevent the action. Option B is wrong because IAM policies in each account would require manual management. Option C is wrong because tagging is not enforced at launch.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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.