The answer is a full backup daily combined with transaction log backups every 15 minutes. This strategy directly satisfies the RPO of 15 minutes because transaction log backups capture every committed change at that interval, enabling point-in-time recovery to within that window, while the daily full backup ensures the RTO of 4 hours is achievable since restoring a single full backup plus the sequential logs is a predictable, well-understood process that can complete within the time limit. On the SSCP exam, this question tests your ability to map recovery objectives to specific backup methods—a common trap is choosing differential or incremental backups, which cannot guarantee the granular 15-minute RPO without log-level capture. Remember the key distinction: RPO drives backup frequency, while RTO drives restore speed. A useful memory tip is “Full for speed, logs for precision”—the full backup handles the RTO, and the transaction logs handle the RPO.
SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of incident response and recovery. 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 backup strategy is MOST suitable for a server with an RTO of 4 hours and an RPO of 15 minutes?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Full backup daily, transaction log backup every 15 minutes
A full backup daily combined with transaction log backups every 15 minutes meets the RPO of 15 minutes by allowing point-in-time recovery to within that window, and the full backup ensures the RTO of 4 hours is achievable because restoring the full backup plus the transaction logs is a well-understood process that can complete within the time limit. Transaction log backups capture every committed change, enabling granular recovery without requiring a full backup more frequently.
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.
✓
Full backup daily, transaction log backup every 15 minutes
Why this is correct
Transaction log backups every 15 minutes meet RPO; full daily allows recovery within RTO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Full backup daily
Why it's wrong here
Full daily backup provides RPO up to 24 hours, exceeding 15 minutes.
✗
Full backup monthly, incremental daily
Why it's wrong here
Incremental daily may take long to restore, likely exceeding RTO.
✗
Full backup weekly, differential daily
Why it's wrong here
Differential daily gives RPO of 24 hours, too high.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between RPO and RTO by making candidates think that more frequent full backups are needed for a low RPO, when in fact transaction log or differential backups can achieve the same with less overhead, and the trap here is assuming that incremental or differential backups alone can meet a 15-minute RPO without log backups.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Transaction log backups (e.g., using SQL Server's BACKUP LOG command) capture all committed transactions since the last log backup, allowing recovery to any point within the log sequence. The RPO of 15 minutes is met by scheduling log backups every 15 minutes, while the full backup provides a baseline that, combined with log restores, can be completed within the RTO if the restore process is optimized (e.g., using fast storage and parallel restore). In real-world scenarios, failing to account for log backup chain continuity (e.g., missing a log backup) can break the recovery point, so monitoring and alerting are critical.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
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.
Incident Response and Recovery — This question tests Incident Response and Recovery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Full backup daily, transaction log backup every 15 minutes — A full backup daily combined with transaction log backups every 15 minutes meets the RPO of 15 minutes by allowing point-in-time recovery to within that window, and the full backup ensures the RTO of 4 hours is achievable because restoring the full backup plus the transaction logs is a well-understood process that can complete within the time limit. Transaction log backups capture every committed change, enabling granular recovery without requiring a full backup more frequently.
What should I do if I get this SSCP 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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This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.
Question Discussion
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