The answer is Deny. This effect is correct because it proactively blocks the creation or update of a storage account that lacks the required encryption setting, preventing non-compliant resources from being provisioned at the moment of deployment. Unlike Audit, which only logs violations after the fact, or DeployIfNotExists, which attempts remediation post-creation, Deny enforces compliance before the resource exists, making it ideal for security-sensitive policies like mandatory encryption. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this concept tests your understanding of Azure Policy effects in the context of data protection and governance. A common trap is confusing Deny with Audit—remember that Deny is a hard block, while Audit is a soft warning. For a memory tip, think “Deny at the door” to recall that this effect stops non-compliant resources from ever entering your Azure environment.
DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. 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.
Exhibit
{
"properties": {
"displayName": "Enforce encryption on Data Lake Storage",
"policyType": "BuiltIn",
"mode": "Indexed",
"description": "This policy ensures encryption is enabled on Azure Data Lake Storage accounts.",
"parameters": {
"effect": {
"type": "String",
"defaultValue": "AuditIfNotExists",
"allowedValues": ["AuditIfNotExists", "Deny", "Disabled"]
}
},
"policyRule": {
"if": {
"field": "type",
"equals": "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts"
},
"then": {
"effect": "[parameters('effect')]"
}
}
}
}
Refer to the exhibit. The JSON shows an Azure Policy definition. Which effect should be used to proactively prevent creation of storage accounts without encryption?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deny
The 'Deny' effect is correct because it proactively blocks the creation or update of a storage account that does not meet the encryption requirement, preventing non-compliant resources from being provisioned. This aligns with Azure Policy's ability to enforce compliance at resource creation time, rather than auditing or remediating after the fact.
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.
✗
AuditIfNotExists
Why it's wrong here
AuditIfNotExists only logs compliance, does not block.
✓
Deny
Why this is correct
Deny prevents non-compliant resource creation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disabled
Why it's wrong here
Disabled turns off the policy.
✗
Append
Why it's wrong here
Append adds tags, not block creation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'AuditIfNotExists' with a proactive block, not realizing it only logs non-compliance after the resource is created, whereas 'Deny' is the only effect that prevents creation entirely.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Policy's 'Deny' effect uses a deny action in the Azure Resource Manager (ARM) authorization layer, intercepting PUT or PATCH requests that violate the policy rule and returning a 403 Forbidden status. This is distinct from 'AuditIfNotExists', which relies on the Azure Resource Graph and compliance scan to report non-compliance after the resource exists. In a real-world scenario, using 'Deny' ensures that storage accounts without encryption (e.g., Azure Storage Service Encryption enabled) are never created, avoiding the need for manual remediation or cost of re-creation.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Describe core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deny — The 'Deny' effect is correct because it proactively blocks the creation or update of a storage account that does not meet the encryption requirement, preventing non-compliant resources from being provisioned. This aligns with Azure Policy's ability to enforce compliance at resource creation time, rather than auditing or remediating after the fact.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 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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