MS-102 Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant Practice Question
This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage a microsoft 365 tenant. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: the MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.. 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.
An administrator has added the custom domain 'contoso.co.uk' to their Microsoft 365 tenant and verified ownership. Users now need to receive email at @contoso.co.uk. Which DNS record must the administrator add in the public DNS zone to route emails to Exchange Online?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add an MX record pointing to <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com
To route email for a custom domain to Exchange Online, you must add an MX record in the public DNS zone that points to the Exchange Online mail exchanger. The correct target is <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com, where <tenant> is your initial tenant name (e.g., contoso-com). This MX record tells sending mail servers to deliver messages for @contoso.co.uk to Microsoft's email infrastructure.
Key principle: The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Add an MX record pointing to <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com
Why this is correct
The MX record directs incoming email to the Exchange Online mail servers.
Related concept
The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.
✗
Add a CNAME record for autodiscover
Why it's wrong here
Autodiscover CNAME helps clients configure settings but does not route mail flow.
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Add an SPF record
Why it's wrong here
SPF record specifies which servers can send mail for the domain, not where to deliver incoming mail.
✗
Add a DKIM record
Why it's wrong here
DKIM signs outgoing messages and helps prevent spoofing but does not affect inbound routing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse DNS records required for email routing (MX) with records required for email security or client discovery (SPF, DKIM, Autodiscover), leading them to select a record that does not actually deliver inbound messages.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The MX record's priority value (e.g., 0) is irrelevant for Exchange Online because Microsoft uses a single mail exchanger; the target must be exactly <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com, where <tenant> is your tenant's initial domain (e.g., contoso-com). Under the hood, Exchange Online uses a multi-tenant gateway that accepts mail based on the recipient domain, so the MX record must point to Microsoft's gateway, not to an on-premises server or a third-party service. A common real-world mistake is using the vanity domain (e.g., contoso.co.uk) as the MX target, which will cause mail flow failures.
KKey Concepts to Remember
The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.
For Exchange Online, the MX record points to <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com.
Without a correct MX record, external mail cannot be delivered to Exchange Online.
MX records have a priority value, with lower numbers indicating higher preference.
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
The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-102 question in full detail.
Review the MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain., then practise related MS-102 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — This question tests Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add an MX record pointing to <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com — To route email for a custom domain to Exchange Online, you must add an MX record in the public DNS zone that points to the Exchange Online mail exchanger. The correct target is <tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com, where <tenant> is your initial tenant name (e.g., contoso-com). This MX record tells sending mail servers to deliver messages for @contoso.co.uk to Microsoft's email infrastructure.
What should I do if I get this MS-102 question wrong?
Review the MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain., then practise related MS-102 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
The MX record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.
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