This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO are supported methods to ingest syslog data into Microsoft Sentinel?
Common Event Format (CEF) connector
CEF is a syslog format.
Logstash output plugin
Why wrong: Logstash is not a native Sentinel connector.
Azure Event Hubs
Why wrong: Event Hubs is for streaming, not syslog.
Syslog connector using Azure Monitor Agent (AMA)
AMA-based syslog connector.
Direct Azure Monitor Agent ingestion without connector
Why wrong: AMA needs a connector for syslog.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Common Event Format (CEF) connector
The Common Event Format (CEF) connector is a supported method because it uses a syslog daemon on a Linux log collector to receive CEF-formatted syslog messages over UDP/TCP (port 514 or 25226) and forwards them to the Log Analytics workspace via the Log Analytics agent. This connector specifically parses CEF headers and maps fields to Sentinel's schema, making it a native ingestion path for security appliances like Palo Alto Networks or Fortinet.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Common Event Format (CEF) connector
Why this is correct
CEF is a syslog format.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Logstash output plugin
Why it's wrong here
Logstash is not a native Sentinel connector.
Azure Event Hubs
Why it's wrong here
Event Hubs is for streaming, not syslog.
Syslog connector using Azure Monitor Agent (AMA)
Why this is correct
AMA-based syslog connector.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Direct Azure Monitor Agent ingestion without connector
Why it's wrong here
AMA needs a connector for syslog.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse Azure Event Hubs as a direct ingestion method for syslog data, when it is actually a transport layer that requires additional components (like a syslog collector or Logstash) to forward data to Sentinel.
Detailed technical explanation
The CEF connector relies on a syslog daemon (rsyslog or syslog-ng) that listens on TCP port 25226 for CEF-formatted messages, which are then parsed by the Log Analytics agent's CEF parser to extract fields like device vendor, product, and severity. The AMA-based Syslog connector uses Data Collection Rules (DCRs) to define facility and severity filters, and it sends syslog data to the Syslog table in Log Analytics over HTTPS, supporting RFC 3164 and RFC 5424 formats. In real-world deployments, the CEF connector is preferred for security appliances that emit structured logs, while the AMA connector is used for generic Linux syslog sources like auth.log or cron logs.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
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FAQ
Manage a security operations environment — This question tests Manage a security operations environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Common Event Format (CEF) connector — The Common Event Format (CEF) connector is a supported method because it uses a syslog daemon on a Linux log collector to receive CEF-formatted syslog messages over UDP/TCP (port 514 or 25226) and forwards them to the Log Analytics workspace via the Log Analytics agent. This connector specifically parses CEF headers and maps fields to Sentinel's schema, making it a native ingestion path for security appliances like Palo Alto Networks or Fortinet.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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