The correct answer is that this policy denies the creation of virtual machines with the SKUs Standard_D2s_v3 or Standard_D4s_v3. This is because the Azure Policy definition uses the deny effect combined with a condition that checks the Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/sku.name alias using the in operator, meaning any request specifying either of those two SKU values is blocked at the resource creation stage. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Azure Policy effects enforce governance, particularly the deny effect for controlling VM SKU selection—a common real-world requirement to limit costs or enforce standard configurations. A frequent trap is confusing deny with audit or modify; remember that deny actively prevents the deployment, while audit only logs compliance. For a quick memory tip, think “Deny blocks the box”—if the SKU is in the list, the creation stops.
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
✓
Denies the creation of virtual machines with the SKUs Standard_D2s_v3 or Standard_D4s_v3.
The policy definition uses the 'deny' effect, which blocks any request that matches the specified condition. The condition checks if the virtual machine SKU is either 'Standard_D2s_v3' or 'Standard_D4s_v3' using the 'in' operator on the 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/sku.name' alias. Therefore, any attempt to create a VM with these SKUs will be denied, making Option A 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.
✓
Denies the creation of virtual machines with the SKUs Standard_D2s_v3 or Standard_D4s_v3.
Why this is correct
The if condition checks for VM type and SKU name in the list, and then denies creation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Denies the creation of resource groups that contain virtual machines with the specified SKUs.
Why it's wrong here
The policy targets virtual machines directly, not resource groups.
✗
Allows only virtual machines with the SKUs Standard_D2s_v3 or Standard_D4s_v3 to be created in a specific region.
Why it's wrong here
No location condition is specified.
✗
Audits virtual machines to check if they have the SKUs Standard_D2s_v3 or Standard_D4s_v3.
Why it's wrong here
The effect is 'deny', not 'audit'.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the 'deny' effect with 'audit' or 'DeployIfNotExists', or misinterpret the condition as allowing only those SKUs instead of denying them, leading them to select Option C or D.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Policy 'deny' effects are evaluated during resource creation or update via Azure Resource Manager (ARM) before the request is committed, effectively acting as a gatekeeper. The 'in' operator performs a case-insensitive string comparison against the array of allowed values, and the alias 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/sku.name' maps directly to the 'properties.hardwareProfile.vmSize' property in the VM resource JSON. In a real-world scenario, this policy is commonly used to enforce cost controls by blocking expensive VM SKUs at the subscription or management group scope.
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: Denies the creation of virtual machines with the SKUs Standard_D2s_v3 or Standard_D4s_v3. — The policy definition uses the 'deny' effect, which blocks any request that matches the specified condition. The condition checks if the virtual machine SKU is either 'Standard_D2s_v3' or 'Standard_D4s_v3' using the 'in' operator on the 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/sku.name' alias. Therefore, any attempt to create a VM with these SKUs will be denied, making Option A 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.
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Question Discussion
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