easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISA Practice Question: Designing its backup strategy for a critical…
A company is designing its backup strategy for a critical database that must be available 24/7. The database experiences high transaction volumes. Which backup method minimizes data loss while allowing continuous operations?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse 'differential backup' with 'transaction log backup,' assuming differential backups provide the same granularity of recovery, when in fact differentials only capture cumulative changes since the last full backup and cannot restore to an arbitrary point in time.
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
✓
Online backup with transaction log backups
Online backup with transaction log backups (Option C) is correct because it allows the database to remain fully operational (24/7 availability) while capturing every committed transaction in the transaction log. In the event of a failure, you can restore the most recent full backup and then apply all subsequent transaction log backups to recover to the exact point of failure, minimizing data loss to only uncommitted transactions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Offline full backup performed weekly
Why it's wrong here
Offline backup requires taking the database offline, causing downtime.
- ✗
Differential backup performed daily
Why it's wrong here
Differential backup alone does not provide continuous protection and still requires a full backup.
- ✓
Online backup with transaction log backups
Why this is correct
Online backups run while the database is active, and transaction logs allow point-in-time recovery with minimal data loss.
- ✗
Full backup performed during low-usage periods
Why it's wrong here
Even during low usage, a full backup can impact performance and may require downtime.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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