The answer is the Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner. This is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to run directly on on-premises Windows Server file shares, using content inspection to automatically discover sensitive data like credit card numbers, classify it by applying sensitivity labels, and optionally enforce protection actions such as encryption—all without requiring manual scanning. On the SC-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of how Purview’s on-premises data classification scanner differs from cloud-only solutions like Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention or Azure Information Protection, which lack the same native on-premises scanning engine. A common trap is confusing the scanner with the unified labeling client, but remember: the scanner is the agent that crawls file shares, while the client applies labels on endpoints. Memory tip: think “Scanner Scans Shares” to recall it runs on on-premises servers to automatically classify and protect files.
SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft compliance solutions. 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.
A company stores sensitive financial data on on-premises Windows Server file shares. The compliance team needs to automatically discover files containing credit card numbers, classify them by applying a sensitivity label, and optionally enforce protection actions like encryption. They want this solution to run on the on-premises file servers without needing to manually scan. Which Microsoft Purview solution should the compliance team deploy?
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for on-premises
Why wrong: DLP can monitor and protect data, but it relies on labels applied by Information Protection and is not designed for automatic discovery and labeling of existing files.
B
Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner
Correct. The scanner discovers, classifies, and protects sensitive data on on-premises file servers by applying sensitivity labels and optionally encryption.
C
Microsoft Purview Audit
Why wrong: Audit records user activities; it does not classify or protect files.
D
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
Why wrong: eDiscovery is used to identify, hold, and export data for legal cases, not for automatic classification and protection.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner
The Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner is designed to run on on-premises Windows Server file shares to automatically discover, classify, and protect sensitive data. It uses content inspection to identify patterns like credit card numbers, applies sensitivity labels, and can enforce encryption without requiring manual scanning.
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.
✗
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for on-premises
Why it's wrong here
DLP can monitor and protect data, but it relies on labels applied by Information Protection and is not designed for automatic discovery and labeling of existing files.
✓
Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner
Why this is correct
Correct. The scanner discovers, classifies, and protects sensitive data on on-premises file servers by applying sensitivity labels and optionally encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Microsoft Purview Audit
Why it's wrong here
Audit records user activities; it does not classify or protect files.
✗
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
Why it's wrong here
eDiscovery is used to identify, hold, and export data for legal cases, not for automatic classification and protection.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for on-premises, which monitors data in motion, with the Information Protection scanner, which handles data at rest classification and labeling.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Information Protection scanner runs as a service on the on-premises server, using the Microsoft Purview Information Protection client to inspect files via pattern matching (e.g., regex for credit card numbers) and apply labels defined in the Microsoft 365 compliance center. It supports incremental scanning and can be configured to automatically apply encryption via Azure Rights Management, ensuring data remains protected even if moved off-premises.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-900 question in full detail.
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions — This question tests Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner — The Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner is designed to run on on-premises Windows Server file shares to automatically discover, classify, and protect sensitive data. It uses content inspection to identify patterns like credit card numbers, applies sensitivity labels, and can enforce encryption without requiring manual scanning.
What should I do if I get this SC-900 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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