- A
Reduce the workspace retention period to 30 days to lower storage costs.
Why wrong: Compliance requires 90 days; reducing retention violates requirements.
- B
Configure the Azure Activity data connector to filter out low-severity events.
Why wrong: Azure Activity connector is for Azure resource logs, not Windows security events.
- C
Modify the data collection rule (DCR) for the Windows Security Events connector to use a custom XPath query that excludes informational events (e.g., exclude Event ID 5156).
Custom XPath filtering reduces ingestion by excluding non-required events.
- D
Disable the AMA-based connector and use the legacy MMA-based connector instead.
Why wrong: MMA is deprecated; AMA is the recommended agent and offers more filtering capabilities.
Question 539 of 1,639
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.
You are managing a Microsoft Sentinel environment that ingests data from multiple sources: Microsoft 365, Azure Activity, and custom logs via AMA. The SOC manager has requested that all security events from Windows servers be collected and stored for 90 days for compliance purposes. You have configured the Windows Security Events via AMA data connector to collect all events (Event ID 4624, 4625, etc.) and set the workspace retention to 90 days. After a week, you notice that the daily ingested volume is higher than expected, exceeding the budget. You analyze the data and find that many low-severity informational events are being ingested, such as Event ID 5156 (Windows Filtering Platform allowed connection). The manager confirms that only security-relevant events are needed. What should you do to reduce ingestion volume while still meeting compliance requirements?
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
✓
Modify the data collection rule (DCR) for the Windows Security Events connector to use a custom XPath query that excludes informational events (e.g., exclude Event ID 5156).
Option C is correct because the AMA connector uses data collection rules (DCRs) that allow you to filter events based on custom XPath queries. By creating a custom XPath query that excludes informational events like Event ID 5156, you can reduce ingestion volume while still collecting security-relevant events (e.g., 4624, 4625) for the required 90-day retention. Option A is incorrect because reducing the workspace retention to 30 days would violate the compliance requirement for 90 days. Option B is incorrect because the Azure Activity data connector collects Azure resource logs, not Windows security events. Option D is incorrect because the legacy MMA connector is deprecated and does not provide the same filtering capabilities; AMA is the recommended solution.
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.
- ✗
Reduce the workspace retention period to 30 days to lower storage costs.
Why it's wrong here
Compliance requires 90 days; reducing retention violates requirements.
- ✗
Configure the Azure Activity data connector to filter out low-severity events.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Activity connector is for Azure resource logs, not Windows security events.
- ✓
Modify the data collection rule (DCR) for the Windows Security Events connector to use a custom XPath query that excludes informational events (e.g., exclude Event ID 5156).
Why this is correct
Custom XPath filtering reduces ingestion by excluding non-required events.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Disable the AMA-based connector and use the legacy MMA-based connector instead.
Why it's wrong here
MMA is deprecated; AMA is the recommended agent and offers more filtering capabilities.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
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: Modify the data collection rule (DCR) for the Windows Security Events connector to use a custom XPath query that excludes informational events (e.g., exclude Event ID 5156). — Option C is correct because the AMA connector uses data collection rules (DCRs) that allow you to filter events based on custom XPath queries. By creating a custom XPath query that excludes informational events like Event ID 5156, you can reduce ingestion volume while still collecting security-relevant events (e.g., 4624, 4625) for the required 90-day retention. Option A is incorrect because reducing the workspace retention to 30 days would violate the compliance requirement for 90 days. Option B is incorrect because the Azure Activity data connector collects Azure resource logs, not Windows security events. Option D is incorrect because the legacy MMA connector is deprecated and does not provide the same filtering capabilities; AMA is the recommended solution.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This SC-200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-200 exam.
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