SY0-701 Question 190
Single answerPowerA security administrator is hardening a small branch office that contains a firewall, a PoE switch powering IP cameras and badge readers, and a rack-mounted server used for local authentication. The office experiences brief power fluctuations and occasional short outages during storms. Management is most concerned about preserving security operations during these events and preventing equipment damage. Which solution BEST addresses these requirements?
- A
Install an online UPS for the critical rack equipment and configure graceful shutdowns for the server
- B
Use standard power strips with surge protection for all devices and rely on RAID for server resilience
- C
Deploy a hot site in another region so the branch can fail over during local power interruptions
- D
Connect all devices to a generator only and remove battery backup systems to reduce maintenance
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to install an online UPS for critical systems and configure graceful shutdowns. In Security+, power-related controls are tied to availability and protection of supporting infrastructure. A UPS helps maintain operation of security devices such as firewalls, access control systems, and surveillance equipment during short outages, and it protects against brownouts and voltage instability that can damage equipment or cause unexpected shutdowns. For servers, integrating the UPS with shutdown software reduces the risk of corruption and service disruption. Best practices from major vendors and operational guidance commonly recommend layered power protection: surge protection and power conditioning, UPS for short-term continuity, and generators for extended outages. In this scenario, the branch's main issue is brief fluctuations and short outages, so a UPS is the most appropriate immediate control.
- A. Correct.
Correct. An online UPS provides continuous, conditioned power and can protect against sags, surges, and brief outages while keeping critical systems such as firewalls, PoE switches, and servers running long enough to maintain security controls or perform an orderly shutdown. Configuring graceful shutdowns for the server helps preserve data integrity and availability. This is the most practical control for short-duration outages and unstable power at a branch office.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Surge-protecting power strips may help with voltage spikes, but they do not provide battery backup during outages or brownouts. RAID improves storage availability after disk failure, not power resilience. A candidate might choose this because it sounds like general hardware protection, but it does not maintain security operations when utility power drops.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A hot site is a disaster recovery solution for major site loss, not the best primary control for brief local power fluctuations and short outages affecting on-premises devices. It is far more expensive and complex than necessary for the stated problem. It also does not directly protect equipment from dirty power.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A generator can support longer outages, but by itself it usually does not address instantaneous failover, power conditioning, or the short gap before generator power is available. Removing battery backup would reduce resilience for exactly the short interruptions described. Someone might pick this option thinking generators are the strongest power solution, but they are typically complementary to UPS systems, not replacements for them.