- A
Instruct the team to skip the retest and proceed with deployment to meet the deadline.
Why wrong: Skipping security retest violates compliance requirements and is unacceptable.
- B
Request additional funds from the management reserve to hire external consultants to resolve the issue faster.
Why wrong: Management reserve is for unknown risks; this risk should have been identified, so contingency reserve is more appropriate.
- C
Use the contingency reserve to cover the two-day delay and inform the sponsor that the schedule will be extended accordingly.
Contingency reserve is for identified risks; using it is appropriate to ensure compliance.
- D
Implement schedule compression techniques such as fast tracking to recover the two days.
Why wrong: Fast tracking might introduce rework and other risks; it is not the best response to a compliance issue.
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
You are the project manager for a large infrastructure upgrade project. The project involves deploying new servers across multiple data centers. During the execution phase, you receive a report that one of the critical servers has failed a security compliance test. The security team states that the server must be reconfigured and retested, which will take two days. However, this server is on the critical path and any delay will push the project completion date. Your sponsor is pressing you to meet the original deadline. The project has a contingency reserve for schedule risks. What is the best course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Use the contingency reserve to cover the two-day delay and inform the sponsor that the schedule will be extended accordingly.
Option C is correct because the project has a contingency reserve specifically allocated for schedule risks, and the two-day delay caused by the security compliance failure is a known risk that the reserve is designed to cover. Using the contingency reserve allows the team to properly reconfigure and retest the server, ensuring security compliance without compromising project quality, while formally extending the schedule with sponsor awareness.
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.
- ✗
Instruct the team to skip the retest and proceed with deployment to meet the deadline.
Why it's wrong here
Skipping security retest violates compliance requirements and is unacceptable.
- ✗
Request additional funds from the management reserve to hire external consultants to resolve the issue faster.
Why it's wrong here
Management reserve is for unknown risks; this risk should have been identified, so contingency reserve is more appropriate.
- ✓
Use the contingency reserve to cover the two-day delay and inform the sponsor that the schedule will be extended accordingly.
Why this is correct
Contingency reserve is for identified risks; using it is appropriate to ensure compliance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Implement schedule compression techniques such as fast tracking to recover the two days.
Why it's wrong here
Fast tracking might introduce rework and other risks; it is not the best response to a compliance issue.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose schedule compression (Option D) thinking it can recover the delay, but fail to recognize that the reconfiguration and retest are mandatory sequential steps that cannot be fast-tracked or crashed without invalidating the security test results.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, contingency reserves are part of the cost baseline and are used for identified risks (known-unknowns), while management reserves are for unidentified risks (unknown-unknowns). The security compliance failure is a known risk (e.g., a server failing a CIS benchmark or STIG validation), so drawing from the contingency reserve is appropriate. Real-world infrastructure projects often have strict compliance gates (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA) that mandate retesting; skipping them can result in non-compliance penalties or rework costs far exceeding the two-day 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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the contingency reserve to cover the two-day delay and inform the sponsor that the schedule will be extended accordingly. — Option C is correct because the project has a contingency reserve specifically allocated for schedule risks, and the two-day delay caused by the security compliance failure is a known risk that the reserve is designed to cover. Using the contingency reserve allows the team to properly reconfigure and retest the server, ensuring security compliance without compromising project quality, while formally extending the schedule with sponsor awareness.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI 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 PMP exam.
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