Quick Answer
The answer is an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). A UPS provides battery backup power to a server during a power outage, allowing for a safe, controlled shutdown or continued operation until utility power returns, which directly prevents data loss by ensuring the server does not abruptly lose power while writing data to disk. On the CompTIA ITF+ FC0-U61 exam, this question tests your understanding of power protection devices under the “Infrastructure” domain, where a common trap is confusing a surge protector (which only blocks spikes) or a standby generator (which has a startup delay) with a UPS. The key distinction is that a UPS offers immediate, seamless battery power, making it the only device that bridges the gap between a power failure and data integrity. Remember the mnemonic: UPS = Uninterrupted Power for Servers.
This FC0-U61 practice question tests your understanding of it concepts and terminology. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A technician is recommending a device to protect a server from data loss during a power outage. Which device should the technician recommend?
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
A UPS provides battery backup, allowing safe shutdown during an outage.
Generator
Why wrong: Generators are for extended outages but not typically a standard recommendation for basic data loss prevention.
Power strip
Why wrong: Power strips provide no protection or backup.
Surge protector
Why wrong: Surge protectors guard against voltage spikes, not power loss.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) provides battery backup power to the server during a power outage, allowing for a safe shutdown or continued operation until power is restored. This directly prevents data loss by ensuring the server does not abruptly lose power while writing data to disk. Unlike other devices, a UPS combines surge protection with battery backup, making it the correct choice for this scenario.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
Why this is correct
A UPS provides battery backup, allowing safe shutdown during an outage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Generator
Why it's wrong here
Generators are for extended outages but not typically a standard recommendation for basic data loss prevention.
Power strip
Why it's wrong here
Power strips provide no protection or backup.
Surge protector
Why it's wrong here
Surge protectors guard against voltage spikes, not power loss.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse a surge protector's ability to protect against spikes with the UPS's ability to provide continuous power during an outage, or they may think a generator is suitable despite its startup delay and lack of instantaneous failover.
Detailed technical explanation
A UPS typically contains a battery, an inverter (to convert DC to AC), and a charger; it operates in either standby (offline), line-interactive, or online (double-conversion) mode. In an online UPS, the server is always powered by the inverter, which isolates it from all power anomalies, including sags, surges, and outages, with zero transfer time. Real-world scenarios include RAID controller caches that lose data if power fails before the cache is flushed, making a UPS critical for enterprise storage systems.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the FC0-U61 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
IT Concepts and Terminology — This question tests IT Concepts and Terminology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) — An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) provides battery backup power to the server during a power outage, allowing for a safe shutdown or continued operation until power is restored. This directly prevents data loss by ensuring the server does not abruptly lose power while writing data to disk. Unlike other devices, a UPS combines surge protection with battery backup, making it the correct choice for this scenario.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This FC0-U61 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 FC0-U61 exam.
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