- A
Manually install the agents on each server via Group Policy.
Why wrong: Manual deployment is inefficient and error-prone, and does not leverage Defender for Cloud's policy-based management.
- B
Enable Azure Policy 'Configure Azure Arc machines to run Azure Monitor Agent' with a DeployIfNotExists policy that also installs the MDE extension.
This policy automatically deploys the required agents and extensions to all Azure Arc machines, ensuring compliance at scale.
- C
Use the Azure Automation Update Management to deploy agents.
Why wrong: Update Management is focused on patching operating systems, not deploying security agents.
- D
Enable the 'Log Analytics agent for Windows' extension on each Arc machine via Azure Arc management.
Why wrong: This only deploys the Log Analytics agent, not the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint extension required for full Defender for Cloud server plans.
Quick Answer
The correct method is to enable Azure Policy 'Configure Azure Arc machines to run Azure Monitor Agent' with a DeployIfNotExists policy that also installs the MDE extension. This approach is correct because it uses Azure Policy’s DeployIfNotExists effect to automatically deploy both the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) extension on all Azure Arc-enabled servers, ensuring consistent, at-scale deployment without manual intervention. For the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Defender for Cloud auto-provisioning for hybrid environments, where the key trap is confusing manual agent installation with policy-driven automation—remember that Azure Policy is the recommended method for enforcing compliance across Arc-connected machines. A common memory tip is to think “Policy first, agents follow”: DeployIfNotExists policies act as a safety net, automatically remediating any Arc server missing the AMA and MDE extensions, which also enables vulnerability assessment integration through Defender for Cloud server plans.
SC-200 Practice Question: Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of mitigate threats using microsoft defender for cloud. 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.
A security engineer is configuring Microsoft Defender for Cloud in a hybrid environment that includes on-premises servers connected via Azure Arc. The engineer wants to enable the Defender for Cloud plans for servers (including vulnerability assessment) on all Azure Arc-enabled machines. What is the correct method to deploy the Log Analytics agent (or Azure Monitor Agent) and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) integration?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable Azure Policy 'Configure Azure Arc machines to run Azure Monitor Agent' with a DeployIfNotExists policy that also installs the MDE extension.
Option B is correct because it leverages Azure Policy with a DeployIfNotExists effect to automatically deploy the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) extension on Azure Arc-enabled servers. This ensures compliance at scale without manual intervention, and it is the recommended method in Defender for Cloud for hybrid machines. The policy also handles the vulnerability assessment integration by enabling the Defender for Cloud plans for servers.
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.
- ✗
Manually install the agents on each server via Group Policy.
Why it's wrong here
Manual deployment is inefficient and error-prone, and does not leverage Defender for Cloud's policy-based management.
- ✓
Enable Azure Policy 'Configure Azure Arc machines to run Azure Monitor Agent' with a DeployIfNotExists policy that also installs the MDE extension.
Why this is correct
This policy automatically deploys the required agents and extensions to all Azure Arc machines, ensuring compliance at scale.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the Azure Automation Update Management to deploy agents.
Why it's wrong here
Update Management is focused on patching operating systems, not deploying security agents.
- ✗
Enable the 'Log Analytics agent for Windows' extension on each Arc machine via Azure Arc management.
Why it's wrong here
This only deploys the Log Analytics agent, not the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint extension required for full Defender for Cloud server plans.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume manual agent installation (Option A) or Update Management (Option C) are valid for Defender for Cloud integration, but the exam tests the understanding that Azure Policy is the only scalable, compliant method to deploy both AMA and MDE extensions on Arc machines while enabling Defender for Cloud plans automatically.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the DeployIfNotExists policy uses a managed identity to deploy the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) as a VM extension on Arc machines, and then chains the MDE extension (MDE.Windows or MDE.Linux) to enable endpoint detection and response. The policy also triggers the Defender for Cloud server plan, which includes vulnerability assessment via the integrated Qualys or Microsoft threat and vulnerability management engine. A subtle behavior is that the policy must be assigned to the same subscription where the Arc machines are registered, and the Arc machine's resource group must have the 'Hybrid Compute' resource provider registered for the deployment to succeed.
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — This question tests Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable Azure Policy 'Configure Azure Arc machines to run Azure Monitor Agent' with a DeployIfNotExists policy that also installs the MDE extension. — Option B is correct because it leverages Azure Policy with a DeployIfNotExists effect to automatically deploy the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) extension on Azure Arc-enabled servers. This ensures compliance at scale without manual intervention, and it is the recommended method in Defender for Cloud for hybrid machines. The policy also handles the vulnerability assessment integration by enabling the Defender for Cloud plans for servers.
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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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SC-200
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security engineer is configuring Microsoft Defender for Cloud in a hybrid environment with on-premises servers connected via Azure Arc. The engineer wants to enable the Defender for Cloud plans for servers (including vulnerability assessment) on all Azure Arc-enabled machines. What is the correct method to deploy the Log Analytics agent (or Azure Monitor Agent) and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) integration?
easy- A.Manually install the Log Analytics agent on each machine and then enable MDE integration
- ✓ B.Use the Defender for Cloud auto-provisioning feature with the Azure Policy 'Deploy Log Analytics agent' and enable MDE integration
- C.Use Azure Arc extensions to install the agents and then configure Defender for Cloud plans
- D.Deploy the agents via Configuration Manager
Why B: Option B is correct because Defender for Cloud's auto-provisioning feature uses built-in Azure Policy initiatives to automatically deploy the Log Analytics agent (or Azure Monitor Agent) to Azure Arc-enabled machines, and it also enables the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) integration via the 'Configure machines to receive a vulnerability assessment provider' policy. This ensures consistent, scalable deployment without manual intervention, aligning with the hybrid environment's requirements.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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