F5CAB4 Control Plane Administration Practice Question
An administrator needs to securely transfer a large UCS file from the BIG-IP management plane to a remote backup server. Which method is most secure and appropriate for this control plane task?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often select FTP or HTTP because they are common file transfer methods, ignoring that they lack the encryption required for sensitive control plane backups.
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
✓
SCP
Using SCP or SFTP over SSH provides an encrypted channel for file transfer, ensuring that the configuration archive, which may contain sensitive keys and passwords, is not exposed in cleartext. This is standard procedure for maintaining secure control plane operations, preventing potential data leaks when moving sensitive configuration backups across the management network to an off-site or secure central storage location.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
FTP
Why it's wrong here
FTP transmits data, including credentials and file content, in cleartext. This is highly insecure and should never be used for transferring sensitive configuration archives like UCS files, as it allows attackers on the network to easily intercept the configuration data and potentially compromise the entire BIG-IP system.
- ✓
SCP
Why this is correct
SCP is a secure protocol that uses SSH to encrypt both the authentication credentials and the data being transferred. It is the recommended, industry-standard method for moving configuration files from the BIG-IP management plane to remote servers, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the transferred data throughout the process.
- ✗
HTTP
Why it's wrong here
HTTP does not provide encryption for the data being transferred, making it an insecure protocol for moving configuration archives. Like FTP, it exposes the file contents and any associated authentication tokens to interception, posing a significant risk to the security of the BIG-IP configuration and the entire network.
- ✗
TFTP
Why it's wrong here
TFTP is a simple, unauthenticated, and unencrypted transfer protocol. It lacks any mechanism for security and is highly vulnerable to interception and spoofing. It is completely unsuitable for transferring sensitive configuration archives, as it would leave the backup data fully exposed to any observer on the management network.
About these practice questions
One of 40 original F5CAB4 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 F5 exam blueprint
This F5CAB4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free F5 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 F5CAB4 exam.