CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
An organization is planning to outsource its data center operations. Which of the following governance practices should be implemented to ensure proper oversight?
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
✓
Establish a service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators (KPIs).
Establishing a service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators (KPIs) provides measurable performance targets and accountability, ensuring proper oversight of outsourced data center operations. Option A (annual financial audits) addresses financial compliance but not operational oversight. Option B (ISO 27001 certification) is a certification, not an ongoing governance practice. Option D (allowing the outsourcer to manage all security controls independently) abdicates the organization's responsibility for oversight.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Conduct annual financial audits of the outsourcer.
Why it's wrong here
Financial audits do not ensure operational oversight.
- ✗
Require the outsourcer to obtain ISO 27001 certification.
Why it's wrong here
Certification is not a direct oversight mechanism.
- ✓
Establish a service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators (KPIs).
Why this is correct
SLA with KPIs enables ongoing performance monitoring.
- ✗
Allow the outsourcer to manage all security controls independently.
Why it's wrong here
This relinquishes oversight and increases risk.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISA exam.