Quick Answer
The answer is Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO). These two metrics are the essential components of a disaster recovery plan because they define the specific performance targets that the DRP must meet: RTO sets the maximum acceptable downtime after a disaster, while RPO determines the maximum age of data that must be restored, directly shaping recovery strategies and resource allocation. On the Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP exam, this concept tests your understanding of how DRP metrics differ from broader business continuity planning—a common trap is confusing RTO/RPO with service-level agreements or physical site types, which are implementation details rather than core DRP components. Remember the mnemonic: “RTO is the clock, RPO is the backup lock”—RTO tells you how fast to restart, RPO tells you how far back to go.
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO of the following are essential components of a disaster recovery plan? (Choose two.)
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
Defines acceptable data loss in terms of time.
Business continuity plan
Why wrong: A separate plan focused on business processes.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
Defines acceptable downtime duration.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Why wrong: An agreement with providers, not a DRP component.
Cold site configuration
Why wrong: A site type, not a plan component.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
Options A and C are correct. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) are key metrics. Business continuity plan is a separate but related plan; cold sites and SLAs are not components of a DRP itself.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
Why this is correct
Defines acceptable data loss in terms of time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Business continuity plan
Why it's wrong here
A separate plan focused on business processes.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
Why this is correct
Defines acceptable downtime duration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Why it's wrong here
An agreement with providers, not a DRP component.
Cold site configuration
Why it's wrong here
A site type, not a plan component.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Recovery Point Objective (RPO) — Options A and C are correct. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) are key metrics. Business continuity plan is a separate but related plan; cold sites and SLAs are not components of a DRP itself.
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CISSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CISSP exam.
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