The answer is to add the parameter -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'UserMailbox'" to the Get-Mailbox cmdlet. This is correct because Get-Mailbox, by default, returns all mailbox types—including shared, room, and equipment mailboxes—so you must explicitly filter the output using the RecipientTypeDetails property to isolate only UserMailbox objects. On the Microsoft 365 Administrator MS-102 exam, this tests your ability to manage Exchange Online recipients via PowerShell, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you need to generate a clean list of user mailboxes for reporting or bulk operations. A common trap is forgetting that the -Filter parameter requires the property name in quotes and the value in single quotes, or mistakenly using Where-Object instead of -Filter, which is less efficient. Memory tip: think “Filter First” to avoid pulling all mailboxes into memory—use -Filter at the source to keep your output lean and exam-ready.
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. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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
Refer to the exhibit.
Connect-ExchangeOnline -UserPrincipalName admin@contoso.com -ShowProgress $true
Get-Mailbox -ResultSize 10 | Select-Object DisplayName, RecipientTypeDetails, PrimarySmtpAddress
Refer to the exhibit. You run the PowerShell commands shown. The output displays 10 mailboxes with various RecipientTypeDetails, including UserMailbox, SharedMailbox, and RoomMailbox. You need to ensure that only user mailboxes are returned. What should you modify?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add the parameter -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'UserMailbox'"
The correct answer is C because the Get-Mailbox cmdlet returns all mailbox types by default. To filter only user mailboxes, you must use the -Filter parameter with the condition 'RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'UserMailbox''. This ensures that only mailboxes with RecipientTypeDetails set to UserMailbox are returned, excluding shared, room, and other mailbox types.
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.
✗
Use the -Properties parameter to specify additional attributes
Why it's wrong here
-Properties is for retrieving additional properties, not filtering.
✗
Change RecipientTypeDetails to RecipientType in the Select-Object
Why it's wrong here
RecipientType is a different property; it does not filter.
✓
Add the parameter -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'UserMailbox'"
Why this is correct
This filters the results to user mailboxes only.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Remove the -ShowProgress parameter
Why it's wrong here
-ShowProgress affects display, not results.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume RecipientTypeDetails is a property that can be filtered by simply selecting it in Select-Object, but Select-Object only controls output columns, not which objects are retrieved; filtering must be done at the query level with -Filter.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
-ShowProgress affects display, not results.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Get-Mailbox cmdlet in Exchange Online PowerShell uses the RecipientTypeDetails property to distinguish between mailbox subtypes (e.g., UserMailbox, SharedMailbox, RoomMailbox). The -Filter parameter supports OPath filtering syntax, allowing precise queries against these properties. In large environments, using -Filter is more efficient than retrieving all mailboxes and then filtering client-side with Where-Object, as it reduces data transfer and processing overhead.
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 MS-102 question in full detail.
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — This question tests Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add the parameter -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'UserMailbox'" — The correct answer is C because the Get-Mailbox cmdlet returns all mailbox types by default. To filter only user mailboxes, you must use the -Filter parameter with the condition 'RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'UserMailbox''. This ensures that only mailboxes with RecipientTypeDetails set to UserMailbox are returned, excluding shared, room, and other mailbox types.
What should I do if I get this MS-102 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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