SANS 515 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Industrial Control System (ICS).
Answer: A device, or set of devices, that manages, commands, directs, or
regulates the behavior of other devices or systems.
◍ Network Topology.
Answer: The Physical/Logical shape of a network
◍ Logical Topology.
Answer: Gives the description for the physical layout, shows VLAN's and
where they are placed on the physical topology
◍ Trunk Port.
Answer: Connects packets that travel to all VLAN's on a switch
◍ ICS technology drivers.
Answer: Reliability, efficiency, safety, and ease of use.
◍ Baseband Systems.
Answer: Transmits one signal on the medium (fiber, copper, etc)
◍ Discrete Process.
Answer: A process where a specified quantity of material moves as a unit
between workstations and each unit maintains it's unique identity.
◍ Batch Process.
Answer: A process that requires the mixing of raw materials, usually in a
heated vessel.
◍ Broadband.
Answer: Form of multiplexing to join multiple signals on a medium
,◍ Ethernet.
Answer: Designed as baseband system that can be used in multiplexing
◍ Continuous Process.
Answer: A physical system that is represented through variables that are
smooth an uninterrupted in time.
◍ Hybrid Process.
Answer: reactive systems that intermix discrete and continuous processes
◍ Process Engineer.
Answer: Designs the systems and processes used in the control environment.
◍ CSMA/CD.
Answer: Carrier Sense Multiple Access/ Collision Detection
◍ Unicast.
Answer: Broadcast for a single device
◍ Field Technician.
Answer: Maintains and repairs field devices
◍ Multicast.
Answer: Broadcast for a specific group or multiple devices
◍ Broadcast.
Answer: Message for everyone to receive and process
◍ Programmer.
Answer: Implements the individual steps of the process code and deploys
the code to the controllers.
◍ Operator.
Answer: Works in the operations center remotely managing and controlling
the process
◍ Hub.
Answer: Broadcasts packets to every single port
,◍ Switch.
Answer: Broadcasts packets to device found on a singular port
◍ Owner/Operators.
Answer: Purchases and uses the system. responsible for safe operation and
meeting regulations.
◍ Content Addressable Memory (CAM).
Answer: Is a table that contains the MAC address and port associated to that
MAC Address
◍ Vendors.
Answer: Manufacture equipment and software
◍ Integrator.
Answer: Design, configure, test, train, and refresh systems.
◍ Government.
Answer: Implement guidance and regulation
◍ programmable logic controller (PLC).
Answer: Computer based, solid-state devices that control industrial
equipment and processes.
◍ Remote terminal unit (RTU).
Answer: Is installed to report local system information and otherwise
communicate with the upstream supervisory system. Connection typically
made using RS-232 or RS-485
◍ Intelligent Electronic Device (IED).
Answer: Used in the power industry primarily, and have limited function,
but contain their own control logic and are usually micro-controller based.
◍ Digital Protective Relay (DPR).
Answer: Contains a micro-controller with the specific purpose of measuring
voltages and currents to determining whether a fault in the system exists.
◍ Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU).
Answer: Measure voltages and currents at principle intersecting locations on
, a power grid and can output accurately timestamped voltage and current
phasors.
◍ Virtual LAN (VLAN).
Answer: Splitting a switch in which certain ports can only talk to certain
ports (Segment networks within a switch)
◍ Communication Gateway.
Answer: Facilitates data acquitting, storage, transmission and protocol
conversion though the industrial data network. Widely used to apply
timestamp data to logs for locally connected RTUs
◍ Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS).
Answer: A different way of switching packets that can be used on a
dedicated line
◍ 802.1x.
Answer: Network Access Control that is a layer 2 authentication
(Credentialed Question of 2FA)
◍ A security appliance should be set in place when.
Answer: There is a change in trust level in the network
◍ Communication Modules.
Answer: Connect FEP into networks of intelligent electronic devices (IED)
such as modbus or PROFIBUS.
◍ Protocol.
Answer: is an agreement or rules of engagement for how computer networks
communicate
◍ Real Time Operating System (RTOS).
Answer: Runs on an embedded device and is specialized in running
programs with specific scheduling paradigm.
◍ Microkernels.
Answer: Responsible for Inter-process Communication (IPC), virtual
memory, and scheduling.
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Industrial Control System (ICS).
Answer: A device, or set of devices, that manages, commands, directs, or
regulates the behavior of other devices or systems.
◍ Network Topology.
Answer: The Physical/Logical shape of a network
◍ Logical Topology.
Answer: Gives the description for the physical layout, shows VLAN's and
where they are placed on the physical topology
◍ Trunk Port.
Answer: Connects packets that travel to all VLAN's on a switch
◍ ICS technology drivers.
Answer: Reliability, efficiency, safety, and ease of use.
◍ Baseband Systems.
Answer: Transmits one signal on the medium (fiber, copper, etc)
◍ Discrete Process.
Answer: A process where a specified quantity of material moves as a unit
between workstations and each unit maintains it's unique identity.
◍ Batch Process.
Answer: A process that requires the mixing of raw materials, usually in a
heated vessel.
◍ Broadband.
Answer: Form of multiplexing to join multiple signals on a medium
,◍ Ethernet.
Answer: Designed as baseband system that can be used in multiplexing
◍ Continuous Process.
Answer: A physical system that is represented through variables that are
smooth an uninterrupted in time.
◍ Hybrid Process.
Answer: reactive systems that intermix discrete and continuous processes
◍ Process Engineer.
Answer: Designs the systems and processes used in the control environment.
◍ CSMA/CD.
Answer: Carrier Sense Multiple Access/ Collision Detection
◍ Unicast.
Answer: Broadcast for a single device
◍ Field Technician.
Answer: Maintains and repairs field devices
◍ Multicast.
Answer: Broadcast for a specific group or multiple devices
◍ Broadcast.
Answer: Message for everyone to receive and process
◍ Programmer.
Answer: Implements the individual steps of the process code and deploys
the code to the controllers.
◍ Operator.
Answer: Works in the operations center remotely managing and controlling
the process
◍ Hub.
Answer: Broadcasts packets to every single port
,◍ Switch.
Answer: Broadcasts packets to device found on a singular port
◍ Owner/Operators.
Answer: Purchases and uses the system. responsible for safe operation and
meeting regulations.
◍ Content Addressable Memory (CAM).
Answer: Is a table that contains the MAC address and port associated to that
MAC Address
◍ Vendors.
Answer: Manufacture equipment and software
◍ Integrator.
Answer: Design, configure, test, train, and refresh systems.
◍ Government.
Answer: Implement guidance and regulation
◍ programmable logic controller (PLC).
Answer: Computer based, solid-state devices that control industrial
equipment and processes.
◍ Remote terminal unit (RTU).
Answer: Is installed to report local system information and otherwise
communicate with the upstream supervisory system. Connection typically
made using RS-232 or RS-485
◍ Intelligent Electronic Device (IED).
Answer: Used in the power industry primarily, and have limited function,
but contain their own control logic and are usually micro-controller based.
◍ Digital Protective Relay (DPR).
Answer: Contains a micro-controller with the specific purpose of measuring
voltages and currents to determining whether a fault in the system exists.
◍ Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU).
Answer: Measure voltages and currents at principle intersecting locations on
, a power grid and can output accurately timestamped voltage and current
phasors.
◍ Virtual LAN (VLAN).
Answer: Splitting a switch in which certain ports can only talk to certain
ports (Segment networks within a switch)
◍ Communication Gateway.
Answer: Facilitates data acquitting, storage, transmission and protocol
conversion though the industrial data network. Widely used to apply
timestamp data to logs for locally connected RTUs
◍ Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS).
Answer: A different way of switching packets that can be used on a
dedicated line
◍ 802.1x.
Answer: Network Access Control that is a layer 2 authentication
(Credentialed Question of 2FA)
◍ A security appliance should be set in place when.
Answer: There is a change in trust level in the network
◍ Communication Modules.
Answer: Connect FEP into networks of intelligent electronic devices (IED)
such as modbus or PROFIBUS.
◍ Protocol.
Answer: is an agreement or rules of engagement for how computer networks
communicate
◍ Real Time Operating System (RTOS).
Answer: Runs on an embedded device and is specialized in running
programs with specific scheduling paradigm.
◍ Microkernels.
Answer: Responsible for Inter-process Communication (IPC), virtual
memory, and scheduling.
