The most efficient way to enforce AWS Shield Advanced in all accounts using Control Tower is to use Account Factory Customization (AFC) to deploy a CloudFormation template that enables Shield Advanced. This is correct because AFC integrates directly with the account provisioning lifecycle, automatically applying the template to both new and existing accounts in the landing zone, ensuring consistent DDoS protection without manual intervention. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to combine Control Tower’s governance framework with Shield Advanced’s centralized subscription model, often contrasting AFC with less efficient methods like manual enrollment or Service Control Policies (which cannot enable paid services). A common trap is to assume a Service Control Policy can enforce Shield Advanced, but SCPs only restrict permissions, not activate subscriptions. Remember the mnemonic: “AFC for the Shield” — Account Factory Customization is the only native way to automate a paid AWS service subscription across a multi-account environment.
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 Control Tower to manage a multi-account environment. They want to ensure that all accounts are enrolled in AWS Shield Advanced for DDoS protection. What is the MOST efficient way to achieve this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Control Tower Account Factory Customization to deploy a CloudFormation template that enables Shield Advanced.
AWS Control Tower Account Factory Customization (AFC) allows you to automatically apply AWS CloudFormation templates to accounts as they are created or updated in the landing zone. By deploying a CloudFormation template that subscribes each account to AWS Shield Advanced, you ensure consistent, automated DDoS protection across all accounts without manual intervention. This is the most efficient method because it integrates directly with the account provisioning lifecycle.
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.
✓
Use AWS Control Tower Account Factory Customization to deploy a CloudFormation template that enables Shield Advanced.
Why this is correct
This automates the setup for all new and existing accounts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Manually enable Shield Advanced in each account after creation.
Why it's wrong here
Manual process is not efficient and prone to error.
✗
Use AWS Config to detect accounts without Shield Advanced and send notifications.
Why it's wrong here
Detection alone does not enable Shield Advanced.
✗
Use AWS Organizations to create an SCP that requires Shield Advanced.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot enable services; they only control permissions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse SCPs with proactive resource provisioning, assuming an SCP can enable a service, when in reality SCPs only control permissions and cannot perform actions like subscribing to Shield Advanced.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Shield Advanced is a per-account subscription that must be explicitly enabled via the AWS Shield console, API, or CloudFormation (using the AWS::Shield::Protection resource). Account Factory Customization leverages a CloudFormation template that runs as part of the account lifecycle in Control Tower, ensuring the Shield Advanced subscription is applied before the account is used. This approach avoids the need for post-provisioning scripts or event-driven remediation, which can introduce delays and complexity.
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 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 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: Use AWS Control Tower Account Factory Customization to deploy a CloudFormation template that enables Shield Advanced. — AWS Control Tower Account Factory Customization (AFC) allows you to automatically apply AWS CloudFormation templates to accounts as they are created or updated in the landing zone. By deploying a CloudFormation template that subscribes each account to AWS Shield Advanced, you ensure consistent, automated DDoS protection across all accounts without manual intervention. This is the most efficient method because it integrates directly with the account provisioning lifecycle.
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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Question Discussion
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