ISC2 CC Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response Practice Question
During a disaster recovery exercise, the backup systems are not available because the storage array failed. Which of the following should be done FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the principle that the disaster recovery plan must be activated before any technical recovery action is taken, trapping candidates who jump to a specific recovery step like restoring from tape or contacting a vendor without first following the documented 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
✓
Activate the disaster recovery plan
When backup systems are unavailable due to a storage array failure, the first action must be to activate the disaster recovery plan (DRP). The DRP is the predefined, documented set of procedures that guides the organization through the recovery process, including escalation, communication, and alternative recovery methods. Without activating the plan, subsequent steps like contacting vendors or restoring from tape lack coordination and may violate recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Activate the disaster recovery plan
Why this is correct
The DR plan includes procedures for such failures and guides next steps.
- ✗
Contact the vendor
Why it's wrong here
Vendor contact is part of the DR plan, but not the first step.
- ✗
Restore from offsite tape
Why it's wrong here
Restoring from tape assumes the media is available and may not be appropriate without assessment.
- ✗
Order replacement hardware
Why it's wrong here
Ordering hardware is a long-term action; immediate actions require the DR plan.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Authentication and Authorization Methods
Key term
Business Continuity Planning
Business Continuity Planning is the process of creating a strategy to keep an organization's essential functions running during and after a major disruption.
Key term
Disaster recovery plan
A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a documented, structured approach that outlines how an organization can quickly resume critical IT systems and operations after a disruptive event.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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