AWS Service Catalog for IaC Compliance

CLF-C02 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

D Use AWS Service Catalog to standardize and govern the deployment of approved Infrastructure as Code templates.

Question

A company wants to manage its cloud resources by using infrastructure as code (IaC) templates. The company needs to meet compliance requirements. Which AWS service should the company use to meet these requirements?
  1. AWS Artifact
  2. AWS Resource Explorer
  3. AWS License Manager
  4. AWS Service Catalog Correct Answer

Key Takeaways

The core concept is governance at scale; the common trap is confusing resource discovery or auditing tools with deployment control mechanisms.

This question addresses how to enforce compliance on infrastructure as code templates using AWS Service Catalog, which acts as a governance layer for approved cloud resources.

Common mistake: Candidates often choose AWS Artifact, assuming it manages internal templates, but it is strictly for external audit reports and compliance documentation.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

AWS Service Catalog enables organizations to create and manage catalogs of IT services that are approved for use on AWS. It integrates with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates like AWS CloudFormation, allowing administrators to define 'products' that include pre-approved configurations. By restricting users to these curated portfolios, the company ensures that every deployed resource meets specific compliance requirements without manual intervention.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

AWS Artifact is used for downloading audit reports (like SOC or ISO certifications) and agreements, not for managing internal resource deployments. AWS Resource Explorer is a search tool for discovering Amazon EC2 resources across accounts and regions, lacking any governance or approval capabilities. AWS License Manager tracks software licenses to prevent over-usage, which is unrelated to infrastructure template compliance.

Community Comment Notes

The community consensus strongly supports D. As Yomijohnson noted, Service Catalog distributes 'approved collections of cloud resources,' ensuring only compliant templates are available. Another commenter emphasized that it allows you to 'centrally manage your cloud resources to achieve governance at scale.' This confirms the exam's focus on governance through standardized deployment.

Official Reference

https://aws.amazon.com/servicecatalog/

This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

When seeing 'compliance' combined with 'templates' or 'deployment', think of Service Catalog as the gatekeeper. It doesn't just store things; it controls what can be launched based on predefined standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't AWS Config the right answer here?

AWS Config monitors and audits configuration changes after deployment. Service Catalog enforces compliance before deployment by controlling access to approved templates.

Does Service Catalog support Terraform?

Yes, AWS Service Catalog supports provisioning from AWS CloudFormation templates and Terraform configurations, making it versatile for IaC workflows.

More CLF-C02 FAQ →

Community Votes

D
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 3 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 3

  1. Yomijohnson 👍 2
    AWS Service Catalog allows organizations to create, manage, and distribute approved collections of cloud resources, referred to as products. It helps organizations enforce compliance requirements by ensuring that only compliant, pre-approved infrastructure templates (e.g., AWS CloudFormation templates) are available for deployment. By using AWS Service Catalog, the company can standardize resource provisioning and enforce consistent configurations that align with its compliance requirements.
  2. ahadh7621 👍 1 Answered D
    Answer is D: https://aws.amazon.com/servicecatalog/ AWS Service Catalog lets you centrally manage your cloud resources to achieve governance at scale of your infrastructure as code (IaC) templates, written in CloudFormation or Terraform configurations. With AWS Service Catalog, you can meet your compliance requirements while making sure your customers can quickly deploy the cloud resources they need.
  3. ShaiTay 👍 1 Answered D
    D. AWS Service Catalog

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