The correct answer is to configure a data archiving policy in the Log Analytics workspace to archive logs after 90 days. This works because Microsoft Sentinel’s archiving policy automatically moves logs older than the defined retention period into long-term, low-cost storage while preserving the ability to search them using the search job or restore features, directly reducing storage costs without sacrificing query access. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between workspace retention (interactive) and archiving (long-term), a common trap being confusion with Azure Blob Storage or manual export solutions. Remember that archiving is configured at the table level within the Log Analytics workspace, not through external storage accounts. A helpful memory tip: “Archive after 90, search with a job” — think of the 90-day mark as the trigger for cost savings, and the search job as your key to unlock archived data when needed.
SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A security operations center (SOC) uses Microsoft Sentinel for log management. The SOC manager wants to reduce storage costs by automatically archiving logs that are older than 90 days to long-term retention, but retains the ability to search them if needed. What should the manager configure?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure a data archiving policy in the Log Analytics workspace to archive logs after 90 days
Option C is correct because configuring a data archiving policy in the Log Analytics workspace automatically moves logs older than 90 days to long-term, low-cost storage while keeping them searchable via the search job or restore feature. This directly meets the SOC manager's requirement to reduce costs without losing the ability to query archived data.
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.
✗
Change the table plan to Basic Logs for logs older than 90 days
Why it's wrong here
Basic Logs is for ingestion, not archiving.
✗
Create a retention policy that deletes logs older than 90 days
Why it's wrong here
Deletion would not allow searching.
✓
Configure a data archiving policy in the Log Analytics workspace to archive logs after 90 days
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Export logs older than 90 days to an Azure Storage account
Why it's wrong here
Exported logs are not searchable via Log Analytics.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'archiving' with 'deleting' or 'exporting,' assuming that moving data to cheaper storage must mean losing queryability, whereas Microsoft Sentinel's archive tier preserves searchability through restore or search jobs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The data archiving policy in Log Analytics uses a two-tier retention model: interactive retention (hot tier) for fast queries, followed by an archive tier (cold) for long-term, low-cost storage. Archived data is not directly queryable but can be accessed via search jobs or restore operations, which use a separate compute pool and incur costs based on scanned data. This is distinct from Basic Logs, which are stored in the same workspace but with limited analytics and a 30-day default retention.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Manage a security operations environment — This question tests Manage a security operations environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a data archiving policy in the Log Analytics workspace to archive logs after 90 days — Option C is correct because configuring a data archiving policy in the Log Analytics workspace automatically moves logs older than 90 days to long-term, low-cost storage while keeping them searchable via the search job or restore feature. This directly meets the SOC manager's requirement to reduce costs without losing the ability to query archived data.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 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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