Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Policy with the DeployIfNotExists effect, as it is the only built-in mechanism that automatically remediates non-compliant resources by triggering a template deployment when a resource is created or updated and fails the policy condition. This effect ensures continuous compliance with corporate security policies without manual intervention, and it can also be assigned a remediation task to fix existing non-compliant resources across multiple subscriptions. On the AZ-305 exam, this concept tests your ability to design governance at scale, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must distinguish between Deny (which blocks creation) and DeployIfNotExists (which fixes after creation). A common trap is choosing Azure Policy with the Audit effect, which only reports non-compliance without remediation. Memory tip: think “DeployIfNotExists = Deploy to fix what’s missing,” ensuring resources are automatically brought into compliance.
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions. 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.
You are designing a governance solution for a Microsoft Azure environment that contains multiple subscriptions. You need to ensure that all resources are compliant with corporate security policies. The solution must automatically remediate non-compliant resources. What should you include in the design?
Azure RBAC custom roles
Why wrong: RBAC controls permissions, not compliance.
Azure Policy with DeployIfNotExists effect
Azure Policy with DeployIfNotExists can automatically remediate non-compliant resources.
Azure Resource Graph queries
Why wrong: Resource Graph is for querying, not remediation.
Azure Blueprints
Why wrong: Blueprints package artifacts but do not automatically remediate.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Azure Policy with DeployIfNotExists effect
Azure Policy with the DeployIfNotExists effect is the correct choice because it automatically remediates non-compliant resources by triggering a deployment (e.g., via a template) when a resource is created or updated and does not meet the policy condition. This ensures continuous compliance with corporate security policies without manual intervention, as the effect can also be assigned a remediation task to fix existing resources.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure RBAC custom roles
Why it's wrong here
RBAC controls permissions, not compliance.
Azure Policy with DeployIfNotExists effect
Why this is correct
Azure Policy with DeployIfNotExists can automatically remediate non-compliant resources.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Azure Resource Graph queries
Why it's wrong here
Resource Graph is for querying, not remediation.
Azure Blueprints
Why it's wrong here
Blueprints package artifacts but do not automatically remediate.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Policy's audit-only effects (like AuditIfNotExists) with the automatic remediation capability, or they mistakenly think Azure Blueprints can handle ongoing compliance enforcement, when in fact Blueprints are a one-time deployment orchestration tool and do not provide continuous remediation.
Detailed technical explanation
The DeployIfNotExists effect works by evaluating the resource after creation or update; if the resource is non-compliant, it triggers a deployment task that can, for example, install a monitoring agent or enable encryption. Under the hood, this effect uses a managed identity assigned to the policy assignment to execute the ARM template, and remediation tasks can be scheduled to scan and fix existing resources. A subtle behavior is that DeployIfNotExists only evaluates resources that match the 'if' condition and then checks the 'then' details for existence; if the resource does not exist, it deploys it, but it does not modify existing resources unless a remediation task is explicitly triggered.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — This question tests Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Azure Policy with DeployIfNotExists effect — Azure Policy with the DeployIfNotExists effect is the correct choice because it automatically remediates non-compliant resources by triggering a deployment (e.g., via a template) when a resource is created or updated and does not meet the policy condition. This ensures continuous compliance with corporate security policies without manual intervention, as the effect can also be assigned a remediation task to fix existing resources.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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