156-315.81.20 Gateway Deployment and Upgrades Practice Question
When upgrading a Security Gateway from R80.40 to R81.20 using the CPUSE 'Upgrade' option rather than a 'Clean Install', which of the following remains preserved through the process?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'Upgrade' with 'Clean Install'. They mistakenly believe that an upgrade wipes the system configuration, whereas it is actually designed to migrate existing settings automatically.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The entire Gaia configuration, including routing, users, and local policies.
The CPUSE upgrade process is designed to migrate existing configuration databases, local system settings, and networking parameters to the newer version. This avoids the manual reconfiguration required by a clean install, although it requires more disk space during the process to store the temporary migration data and rollback information.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Only the network interface IP addresses and the default gateway settings.
Why it's wrong here
An upgrade preserves significantly more than just basic networking; it migrates the entire Gaia database and local security configurations. Limiting the preservation to just IP addresses would describe a manual reconfiguration after a clean install rather than the automated upgrade path provided by the CPUSE engine.
- ✓
The entire Gaia configuration, including routing, users, and local policies.
Why this is correct
The CPUSE upgrade mechanism performs a full export of the Gaia configuration database and imports it into the new version environment. This includes all user accounts, static routes, dynamic routing configurations, and local system settings, ensuring the gateway maintains its operational identity and connectivity after the reboot.
- ✗
All temporary log files and captured packet files stored in /var/log/.
Why it's wrong here
While some logs may be preserved, the primary goal of the upgrade is to migrate configuration data rather than ephemeral data like packet captures. Many temporary files are cleared during the upgrade to ensure enough disk space is available for the new software image and the migration database.
- ✗
The hardware BIOS and firmware updates included in the R81.20 package.
Why it's wrong here
CPUSE packages are software-level updates and do not typically include hardware BIOS or low-level firmware updates for the physical appliance. Firmware updates for Check Point appliances are generally handled through separate hardware-specific tools or distinct firmware packages rather than the standard Gaia software upgrade image.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Check Point exam blueprint
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