156-315.81.20 Gateway Deployment and Upgrades Practice Question
You are preparing an R81.20 Security Gateway for an in-place upgrade using CPUSE. Corporate policy requires that you can roll back to the previous version if the upgrade fails. Which two actions must you take before starting the upgrade? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating management-side exports or performance-feature changes as rollback safeguards for a gateway upgrade.
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
✓
Verify that the repository contains the current version package for rollback.
Rollback readiness for a CPUSE in-place upgrade depends on having a Gaia system backup and confirming that the current version package remains in the repository. The backup can restore the full previous state, while the repository package allows CPUSE to revert the installed version quickly. Together they satisfy the corporate mandate to recover from a failed R81.20 upgrade.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Export the Security Management Server database to the gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Exporting a management database is a management-side operation and does not protect a gateway during an upgrade. The gateway is a managed device, not a management server, so this file would not restore its previous software state. It also introduces unnecessary data onto the appliance and does not meet the rollback mandate.
- ✗
Run cpstop on the gateway and leave all services stopped during the upgrade.
Why it's wrong here
CPUSE manages stopping and starting Check Point services as part of the upgrade process. Manually running cpstop and leaving services down can interfere with the installer, cause the upgrade to fail, or leave the gateway in an inconsistent state. It is not a rollback preparation step and is not required by Check Point upgrade procedures.
- ✓
Verify that the repository contains the current version package for rollback.
Why this is correct
CPUSE keeps the currently installed version as a rollback package in its repository, but only if that package is present and healthy. Confirming its availability before the upgrade ensures you can revert quickly without reinstalling from scratch. This directly supports the required rollback capability for the R81.20 in-place upgrade.
- ✓
Create a system-level backup using the Gaia Backup and Restore feature.
Why this is correct
A Gaia system backup captures the operating system, Check Point configuration, and product settings needed to restore the previous state. If the in-place upgrade fails, this backup is the supported path to return the gateway to its pre-upgrade condition. Creating it before the upgrade satisfies the rollback requirement in the scenario.
- ✗
Disable SecureXL and CoreXL permanently before upgrading.
Why it's wrong here
SecureXL and CoreXL are performance features that the upgrade process handles automatically. Permanently disabling them does not create a rollback point and would degrade gateway throughput after the upgrade. This action is unrelated to the requirement of restoring the previous version if the in-place upgrade fails.
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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
This 156-315.81.20 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Check Point certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 156-315.81.20 exam.