easyMultiple Choice
SSCP Practice Question: Which backup strategy is MOST suitable for a…
Which backup strategy is MOST suitable for a server with an RTO of 4 hours and an RPO of 15 minutes?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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
✓
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.
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 cap data loss at 15 minutes, meeting the RPO, while daily full backups plus log replay restore the server within the 4-hour RTO. Differential or weekly-only schemes cannot satisfy both targets simultaneously.
- ✗
Full backup daily
Why it's wrong here
A daily full backup captures data only once every 24 hours, so up to a day's changes are lost, breaching the 15-minute RPO. It is tempting for its simple, single-restore recovery, and would be correct where the RPO were measured in hours or days.
- ✗
Full backup monthly, incremental daily
Why it's wrong here
Daily incrementals leave up to 24 hours of data unprotected, exceeding the 15-minute RPO, and restoring monthly full plus many incrementals can exceed the 4-hour RTO. It is tempting for cost efficiency, and would suit a scenario tolerating day-level data loss.
- ✗
Full backup weekly, differential daily
Why it's wrong here
Daily differentials still leave up to 24 hours of unprotected changes, violating the 15-minute RPO, and weekly fulls lengthen restore time. It is tempting because differentials reduce restore steps versus incrementals, and would suit a day-level RPO with a relaxed RTO.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.