- A
Use AWS Service Catalog to enforce tagging on provisioned products.
Why wrong: Only applies to products provisioned via Service Catalog.
- B
Run a Lambda function that tags resources after creation based on the creator's cost center.
Why wrong: Does not prevent untagged resources from being created.
- C
Use AWS Config rules to mark non-compliant resources and auto-remediate.
Why wrong: Reactive; resources are created without tags.
- D
Apply an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the request includes the CostCenter tag.
SCP can enforce tag requirements at creation time.
Question 1,154 of 1,746
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 Organizations with multiple OUs. The finance team needs visibility into costs across all accounts. They want to tag resources with a 'CostCenter' tag. What is the BEST way to enforce tag propagation?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Apply an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the request includes the CostCenter tag.
Option D is correct because an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the request includes the CostCenter tag enforces tag propagation at the point of resource creation. This is a preventive control that blocks non-compliant actions before they happen, ensuring all EC2 instances are tagged from the start. It leverages AWS Organizations to apply the policy across all accounts in the specified OUs, providing centralized enforcement without relying on post-creation remediation.
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 Service Catalog to enforce tagging on provisioned products.
Why it's wrong here
Only applies to products provisioned via Service Catalog.
- ✗
Run a Lambda function that tags resources after creation based on the creator's cost center.
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent untagged resources from being created.
- ✗
Use AWS Config rules to mark non-compliant resources and auto-remediate.
Why it's wrong here
Reactive; resources are created without tags.
- ✓
Apply an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the request includes the CostCenter tag.
Why this is correct
SCP can enforce tag requirements at creation time.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose reactive solutions like AWS Config auto-remediation (Option C) because they are familiar with it, but the question asks for the 'BEST' way to enforce tag propagation, which requires a preventive control (SCP) to stop untagged resources from being created in the first place.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs in AWS Organizations use IAM-like policy language with conditions such as `aws:RequestTag` to enforce tag presence at the API call level. The SCP in option D uses a `Deny` effect with a `Null` condition on `aws:RequestTag/CostCenter`, which blocks any ec2:RunInstances call that does not include the CostCenter tag in the request. This works across all accounts in the OU because SCPs are applied at the organization level and cannot be overridden by account-level IAM policies, ensuring consistent enforcement.
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.
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Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — study guide chapter
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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: Apply an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the request includes the CostCenter tag. — Option D is correct because an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the request includes the CostCenter tag enforces tag propagation at the point of resource creation. This is a preventive control that blocks non-compliant actions before they happen, ensuring all EC2 instances are tagged from the start. It leverages AWS Organizations to apply the policy across all accounts in the specified OUs, providing centralized enforcement without relying on post-creation remediation.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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