- A
Increase the number of automatic rerun attempts.
Why wrong: More reruns would still fail due to the same dependency issue.
- B
Implement real-time alerts for job failures and dependency issues.
Alerts would enable timely intervention.
- C
Remove dependency management for critical jobs.
Why wrong: Dependencies are important for correct processing, removing them could cause other issues.
- D
Schedule all critical jobs to run sequentially without dependencies.
Why wrong: Sequential scheduling without dependency checks could lead to data inconsistency.
Question 837 of 984
CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of information systems operations and business resilience. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An organization uses automated job scheduling with dependency management. A critical nightly batch job failed because a prerequisite job did not complete successfully. The job scheduler automatically attempted to rerun the failed job three times, each time failing due to the same dependency. The operations team was not alerted until the next morning. What control should the auditor recommend to improve this process?
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
✓
Implement real-time alerts for job failures and dependency issues.
The core issue is the lack of timely notification, not the number of retries or the dependency logic itself. The job scheduler correctly identified the dependency failure and attempted reruns, but the operations team remained unaware until the next morning. Implementing real-time alerts for job failures and dependency issues (Option B) ensures that the operations team can intervene immediately, rather than discovering the problem hours later during a manual check.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase the number of automatic rerun attempts.
Why it's wrong here
More reruns would still fail due to the same dependency issue.
- ✓
Implement real-time alerts for job failures and dependency issues.
Why this is correct
Alerts would enable timely intervention.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Remove dependency management for critical jobs.
Why it's wrong here
Dependencies are important for correct processing, removing them could cause other issues.
- ✗
Schedule all critical jobs to run sequentially without dependencies.
Why it's wrong here
Sequential scheduling without dependency checks could lead to data inconsistency.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates focus on the retry mechanism (Option A) or the dependency structure (Options C and D) instead of recognizing that the fundamental control gap is the absence of real-time notification, which is a core operations resilience requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In enterprise job schedulers like CA Workload Automation (Autosys) or BMC Control-M, dependency management is implemented via 'conditions' or 'job status triggers' that gate execution. When a prerequisite job fails, the dependent job enters a 'Waiting' or 'Failed' state and will not run until the dependency is satisfied. Real-time alerting is typically configured via SNMP traps, email, or integration with SIEM systems (e.g., Splunk) using exit codes and event rules. Without alerting, the scheduler's retry logic only masks the failure, and the operations team must rely on manual dashboard monitoring, which is prone to delay.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CISA 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISA question test?
Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — This question tests Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement real-time alerts for job failures and dependency issues. — The core issue is the lack of timely notification, not the number of retries or the dependency logic itself. The job scheduler correctly identified the dependency failure and attempted reruns, but the operations team remained unaware until the next morning. Implementing real-time alerts for job failures and dependency issues (Option B) ensures that the operations team can intervene immediately, rather than discovering the problem hours later during a manual check.
What should I do if I get this CISA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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