The correct answer is that all virtual machines except those with the SKU Standard_DS2_v2 will be denied. This is because the Azure Policy definition uses a deny effect paired with a notEquals condition on the VM SKU field, meaning any virtual machine whose SKU does not exactly match ‘Standard_DS2_v2’ triggers the deny action. In the context of the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Azure Policy evaluates conditions—specifically, the difference between allowed list logic and a notEquals condition, which is a common trap where candidates mistakenly think the policy denies only the specified SKU rather than everything else. A useful memory tip: remember that notEquals denies everything except the single value you list, so it acts as an exclusive allow rather than a block list.
AZ-305 Practice Question: Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
All virtual machines except those with SKU Standard_DS2_v2
The Azure Policy definition uses a 'deny' effect with a condition that checks if the virtual machine's SKU field is not equal to 'Standard_DS2_v2'. This means any VM whose SKU does not match 'Standard_DS2_v2' will be denied. Only VMs with the exact SKU 'Standard_DS2_v2' will be allowed, making option D correct.
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.
✗
No virtual machines because the condition is invalid
Why it's wrong here
The condition is valid.
✗
All virtual machines regardless of SKU
Why it's wrong here
Standard_DS2_v2 VMs are allowed.
✗
Only virtual machines with SKU Standard_DS2_v2
Why it's wrong here
Those are allowed, not denied.
✓
All virtual machines except those with SKU Standard_DS2_v2
Why this is correct
The deny effect applies when the SKU is not equal to Standard_DS2_v2.
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 may misinterpret 'notEquals' as denying the specified SKU, when in fact it denies everything except that SKU, leading them to incorrectly choose option C.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Policy uses JSON-based policy definitions with conditions like 'equals', 'notEquals', 'contains', etc., evaluated against resource properties. The 'deny' effect prevents creation or modification of non-compliant resources. In this case, the policy targets the 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines' resource type and checks the 'sku.name' property, which is a string value representing the VM size. The 'notEquals' condition ensures only VMs with the exact SKU 'Standard_DS2_v2' are compliant, enforcing a strict allowlist approach.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-305 question in full detail.
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — This question tests Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: All virtual machines except those with SKU Standard_DS2_v2 — The Azure Policy definition uses a 'deny' effect with a condition that checks if the virtual machine's SKU field is not equal to 'Standard_DS2_v2'. This means any VM whose SKU does not match 'Standard_DS2_v2' will be denied. Only VMs with the exact SKU 'Standard_DS2_v2' will be allowed, making option D correct.
What should I do if I get this AZ-305 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.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Refer to the exhibit. You have an Azure Policy definition as shown. The policy is assigned at the subscription scope. What is the result when a user tries to create a VM with SKU Standard_D8s_v3?
medium
A.The VM is created successfully.
B.The VM is created but flagged as non-compliant.
C.The VM SKU is automatically changed to Standard_D4s_v3.
✓ D.The VM creation is denied.
Why D: The Azure Policy definition shown uses a 'Deny' effect for VM SKUs that do not match the allowed list. Since Standard_D8s_v3 is not in the allowed list (which includes Standard_D2s_v3, Standard_D4s_v3, and Standard_D8s_v3), the policy denies the VM creation. The 'Deny' effect prevents the resource from being created and logs a denial event in the activity log.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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