Cyber Resilience and Redundancy Flashcards
3.4: Explain the importance of resilience and recovery in security architecture
Dion Training is experiencing a significant increase in student enrollment and website traffic. Their current server infrastructure is struggling to keep up with the demand, resulting in slow page loading times and occasional service interruptions.
Question:
Which of the following strategies would be MOST effective in improving the website’s performance and ensuring a better user experience during periods of high traffic?
A. Upgrade to a single, more powerful server with increased RAM and processing power.
B. Implement load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers.
C. Reduce the number of simultaneous user logins.
D. Migrate all website traffic to a single, dedicated server.
Answer: B. Implement load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers.
Explanation:
A. Upgrading to a single, more powerful server might provide temporary relief, but it still creates a single point of failure and may not be sufficient for sustained high traffic.
B. Load balancing distributes incoming traffic across multiple servers, preventing any single server from becoming overloaded and improving overall performance and responsiveness.
C. Reducing user logins is not a practical or desirable solution for a growing online education platform.
D. Migrating to a single, dedicated server contradicts the principles of high availability and increases the risk of a single point of failure.
A large financial institution is concerned about the potential impact of a natural disaster on their critical data center operations. They are seeking ways to ensure business continuity and minimize disruption to their services.
Question:
Which of the following strategies would be MOST effective in mitigating the risk of a natural disaster impacting the data center?
A. Implementing a robust firewall to prevent cyberattacks.
B. Implementing a hot site disaster recovery solution.
C. Increasing internet bandwidth to the data center.
D. Upgrading server hardware to the latest generation.
Answer: B. Implementing a hot site disaster recovery solution.
Explanation:
A. Firewalls address cybersecurity threats, not natural disasters.
B. A hot site is a fully operational replica of the primary data center, allowing for immediate failover in case of a disaster.
C. Increased bandwidth improves network performance but does not address the physical risks associated with a natural disaster.
D. Upgrading server hardware enhances performance but does not mitigate the risk of a natural disaster.
Dion Training is considering moving some of its critical applications to a cloud-based environment.
Question:
Which of the following is a key benefit of adopting a multi-cloud strategy for Dion Training?
A. Reduced reliance on a single cloud provider, mitigating the risk of vendor lock-in.
B. Lower overall costs compared to using a single cloud provider.
C. Elimination of the need for on-premises infrastructure.
D. Simplified data management and security across multiple cloud environments.
Answer: A. Reduced reliance on a single cloud provider, mitigating the risk of vendor lock-in.
Explanation:
A. A multi-cloud strategy allows Dion Training to distribute applications across multiple cloud providers, reducing dependence on a single vendor and providing more flexibility and negotiating power.
B. While multi-cloud can offer cost optimization opportunities, it does not guarantee lower overall costs compared to using a single provider.
C. Multi-cloud does not necessarily eliminate the need for on-premises infrastructure, as some applications may still require on-premises deployment.
D. Data management and security across multiple cloud environments can be complex and require careful planning and coordination.
An organization is evaluating different options for achieving five nines of availability for their critical business applications.
Question:
Which of the following uptime percentages corresponds to five nines of availability?
A. 99.99%
B. 99.999%
C. 99.9999%
D. 99.99999%
Answer: B. 99.999%
Explanation:
A. Four nines of availability
B. Five nines of availability
C. Six nines of availability
D. Seven nines of availability
A video editor is building a high-performance workstation for professional video editing tasks. They require the fastest possible read/write speeds for large video files.
Question:
Which RAID configuration would be MOST suitable for this workstation, prioritizing performance over data redundancy?
A. RAID 0
B. RAID 1
C. RAID 5
D. RAID 10
Answer: A. RAID 0
Explanation:
A. RAID 0: Provides the highest performance by striping data across multiple drives, ideal for applications demanding maximum read/write speeds. However, it offers no data redundancy.
B. RAID 1: Focuses on redundancy, not performance.
C. RAID 5: Offers a balance of performance and redundancy, but write performance is slower due to parity calculations.
D. RAID 10: Provides both performance and redundancy, but may not be the absolute fastest option compared to RAID 0.
A critical server application at Dion Training requires both high performance and high availability. Data loss is not an option.
Question:
Which RAID configuration would be MOST suitable for this critical server application?
A. RAID 0
B. RAID 1
C. RAID 5
D. RAID 10
Answer: D. RAID 10
Explanation:
A. RAID 0: Offers high performance but no redundancy, making it unsuitable for critical applications.
B. RAID 1: Provides high redundancy but limited performance improvement.
C. RAID 5: Offers a balance but may have slower write performance and longer recovery times.
D. RAID 10: Combines the performance benefits of RAID 0 with the redundancy of RAID 1, making it ideal for critical applications requiring both speed and data protection.
A home user wants to build a home server for storing personal files, photos, and videos. They are concerned about data loss but have a limited budget.
Question:
Which RAID configuration would be the MOST cost-effective option for this home server, providing a balance of redundancy and affordability?
A. RAID 0
B. RAID 1
C. RAID 5
D. RAID 10
Answer: C. RAID 5
Explanation:
A. RAID 0: No redundancy, not suitable for data protection.
B. RAID 1: Requires double the number of drives compared to RAID 5, increasing costs.
C. RAID 5: Offers a good balance of redundancy and cost-effectiveness for home use.
D. RAID 10: Requires more drives and is more expensive than RAID 5, not necessary for typical home server needs.
Which of the following best describes a “fault-tolerant” RAID configuration?
A. A RAID configuration that can continue operating without data loss after the failure of a single drive.
B. A RAID configuration that provides the highest possible read and write speeds.
C. A RAID configuration that is inexpensive to implement.
D. A RAID configuration that protects against all types of data loss, including natural disasters.
Answer: A. A RAID configuration that can continue operating without data loss after the failure of a single drive.
Explanation:
A. Correct definition of fault tolerance in the context of RAID systems.
B. Relates to performance, not fault tolerance.
C. Relates to cost, not fault tolerance.
D. Refers to disaster tolerance, a higher level of protection than typical fault tolerance.
What is the primary advantage of RAID 6 over RAID 5?
A. Higher read/write performance.
B. Ability to withstand the failure of two drives without data loss.
C. Lower cost of implementation.
D. Simpler configuration and management.
Answer: B. Ability to withstand the failure of two drives without data loss.
Explanation:
A. RAID 5 generally offers better read/write performance than RAID 6.
B. RAID 6 is specifically designed to tolerate the failure of two drives, while RAID 5 can only tolerate one.
C. RAID 6 generally requires more drives, potentially increasing costs.
D. RAID 6 may be slightly more complex to configure than RAID 5.
An e-commerce company anticipates a significant increase in website traffic during a major holiday sales event.
Question:
Which aspect of capacity planning is MOST critical for this company to address to ensure a smooth customer experience during this period?
A. People
B. Technology
C. Infrastructure
D. Processes
Answer: B. Technology
Explanation:
A. People: While customer service staff may need to be increased, the primary concern is ensuring the website can handle the increased traffic load.
B. Technology: This aspect focuses on ensuring the website servers, network bandwidth, and database infrastructure can handle the surge in traffic and user requests.
C. Infrastructure: While data center capacity may be a factor, it’s less critical than ensuring the technology itself can handle the increased load.
D. Processes: While order processing and fulfillment processes are important, the immediate concern is ensuring the website remains accessible and responsive.
A software company is preparing to launch a new flagship product. They anticipate a high demand for downloads and customer support inquiries immediately following the launch.
Question:
Which of the following capacity planning considerations is MOST relevant to address the anticipated surge in customer support inquiries?
A. Technology upgrades to the company’s website servers.
B. Increased bandwidth for the company’s internet connection.
C. Hiring and training of additional customer support staff.
D. Streamlining the software installation process for end-users.
Answer: C. Hiring and training of additional customer support staff.
Explanation:
A. Server upgrades address website traffic, not customer support volume.
B. Increased bandwidth primarily affects data transfer speeds, not customer support capacity.
C. Hiring and training additional support staff directly addresses the anticipated increase in customer support inquiries.
D. Streamlining installation may reduce support inquiries in the long term, but it doesn’t directly address the immediate surge in support requests.
A large organization is planning to expand its data center to accommodate a significant increase in server infrastructure.
Question:
Which aspect of capacity planning is MOST relevant to this expansion project?
A. Ensuring sufficient power supply and cooling for the new servers.
B. Hiring additional IT staff to manage the expanded server infrastructure.
C. Developing new software applications to utilize the increased server capacity.
D. Streamlining the process for deploying new software on the servers.
Answer: A. Ensuring sufficient power supply and cooling for the new servers.
Explanation:
A. This directly addresses the infrastructure requirements for the expanded data center, ensuring sufficient power and cooling for the new servers.
B. While staff may need to be increased, the primary concern is the physical infrastructure.
C. Software development is a separate concern from the physical data center expansion.
D. Streamlining software deployment processes is important but less critical than ensuring the physical infrastructure can support the new servers.
A healthcare provider is implementing a new telemedicine platform.
Question:
Which of the following capacity planning considerations is MOST relevant to ensure the successful implementation of telemedicine services?
A. Ensuring sufficient bandwidth for high-definition video conferencing.
B. Implementing a system for tracking patient satisfaction with telemedicine appointments.
C. Developing a marketing campaign to promote the new telemedicine services.
D. Streamlining the process for ordering medical supplies for in-person appointments.
Answer: A. Ensuring sufficient bandwidth for high-definition video conferencing.
Explanation:
A. Telemedicine relies heavily on high-quality video and audio connections, requiring sufficient bandwidth to support these services.
B. While important, patient satisfaction tracking is not the most critical initial consideration.
C. Marketing is important but not directly related to the technical and operational aspects of implementing telemedicine.
D. Streamlining in-person appointment supplies is not directly related to the successful implementation of telemedicine services.
Which of the following BEST defines capacity planning?
A. The process of optimizing server performance to maximize throughput.
B. The process of identifying and addressing potential security threats to an organization’s IT infrastructure.
C. The process of ensuring an organization has the necessary resources to meet future demands.
D. The process of reducing operational costs by minimizing resource utilization.
Answer: C. The process of ensuring an organization has the necessary resources to meet future demands.
Explanation:
A. Focuses on server performance, not the broader concept of capacity planning.
B. Describes security planning, not capacity planning.
C. Accurately defines capacity planning as the process of ensuring sufficient resources to meet future needs.
D. Focuses on cost reduction, not the primary objective of capacity planning, which is to ensure adequate resources.
A home office user experiences frequent flickering lights and minor electronic disruptions due to power fluctuations.
Question:
Which of the following devices would be MOST effective in protecting their home office equipment from these power fluctuations?
A. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
B. Generator
C. Power Distribution Center (PDC)
D. Line Conditioner
Answer: D. Line Conditioner
Explanation:
A. UPS: Primarily for short-term power outages, not minor fluctuations.
B. Generator: Overkill for minor fluctuations. Designed for extended power outages.
C. PDC: Primarily for power distribution and load balancing, not specifically designed to address minor voltage fluctuations.
D. Line Conditioner: Specifically designed to filter out power fluctuations like surges, sags, and minor undervoltages.
A data center experiences a complete power outage.
Question:
Which component of the data center’s power infrastructure is PRIMARILY responsible for providing immediate backup power to critical systems during this outage?
A. Line Conditioner
B. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
C. Generator
D. Power Distribution Center (PDC)
Answer: B. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
Explanation:
A. Line Conditioners address minor fluctuations, not complete power outages.
B. UPS systems provide immediate battery backup power during power outages, bridging the gap until the generator can start.
C. Generators typically require startup time (30-60 seconds) before providing power.
D. PDCs distribute power, but they rely on a power source (which is currently unavailable during the outage).
A small office needs a backup generator for occasional power outages. They require a cost-effective and relatively quiet solution.
Question:
Which type of generator would be MOST suitable for this situation?
A. Large, permanently installed diesel generator.
B. Portable gas-powered generator.
C. Battery inverter generator.
D. Natural gas-powered generator.
Answer: C. Battery inverter generator.
Explanation:
A. Large, permanently installed generators are expensive and often overkill for small offices.
B. Portable gas generators can be noisy and require more maintenance.
C. Battery inverter generators are quieter and require less maintenance, suitable for occasional short-term power outages.
D. Natural gas generators require a natural gas connection, which may not be available or cost-effective.
Which of the following is a primary function of a Power Distribution Center (PDC) in a data center?
A. Converting AC power to DC power for servers.
B. Providing surge protection for individual servers.
C. Distributing power to multiple servers while monitoring and balancing the load.
D. Storing backup power for use during power outages.
Answer: C. Distributing power to multiple servers while monitoring and balancing the load.
Explanation:
A. This is a function of some power supplies within servers, not the primary function of a PDC.
B. While PDCs can contribute to surge protection, it’s not their primary function.
C. PDCs are designed to distribute power efficiently and monitor load across multiple servers.
D. This is primarily the function of a UPS.
Which of the following best describes a “sag” in electrical power?
A. A sudden, brief increase in voltage.
B. A short-term decrease in voltage.
C. A complete loss of power for a short period.
D. A sustained period of low voltage.
Answer: B. A short-term decrease in voltage.
Explanation:
A. Describes a “spike.”
B. Correct definition of a “sag.”
C. Describes a “power outage” or “blackout.”
D. Describes an “undervoltage event” or “brownout.”
A home user wants to protect their personal files (documents, photos, videos) from accidental deletion or hardware failure.
Question:
Which of the following would be the MOST cost-effective and convenient backup strategy for this home user?
A. Daily offsite backups to a cloud storage service.
B. Weekly onsite backups to an external hard drive.
C. Hourly snapshots of all files on their computer.
D. Daily replication of their entire hard drive to another computer on their network.
Answer: B. Weekly onsite backups to an external hard drive.
Explanation:
A. Cloud storage can be expensive, and daily backups may be excessive for personal files.
B. Weekly onsite backups to an external hard drive offer a good balance of convenience, cost-effectiveness, and protection against common data loss scenarios.
C. Hourly snapshots are overkill for most home users and would consume significant storage space.
D. Replication requires another computer and may be more complex than necessary.