EMC Technology Foundations Business Continuity Exam
1. What is the primary purpose of business continuity planning?
A) To increase profits
B) To ensure the continuation of critical business functions during disruptions
C) To improve marketing strategies
D) To streamline employee recruitment
Answer: B
Explanation: Business continuity planning is designed to ensure that essential business functions
continue during and after unexpected disruptions.
2. Which term best describes the process focused on restoring IT systems and data after an incident?
A) Business Continuity
B) Disaster Recovery
C) Data Protection
D) Risk Management
Answer: B
Explanation: Disaster recovery specifically targets the restoration of IT systems and data following a
disruption.
3. What distinguishes business continuity from disaster recovery?
A) Business continuity focuses solely on IT systems.
B) Disaster recovery is a broader plan covering all business areas.
C) Business continuity encompasses overall organizational operations, while disaster recovery is IT-
centric.
D) They are essentially the same.
Answer: C
Explanation: Business continuity ensures overall organizational functions continue, whereas disaster
recovery deals primarily with restoring IT systems.
4. Which of the following is NOT a key principle of business continuity planning?
A) Risk assessment
B) Business impact analysis
C) Marketing analysis
D) Recovery strategy development
Answer: C
Explanation: Marketing analysis is not a principle of business continuity planning; the focus is on
identifying risks, impacts, and recovery methods.
5. In the context of IT and business strategy, why is business continuity critical?
A) It enhances customer engagement exclusively.
B) It minimizes downtime and preserves revenue and reputation.
C) It primarily increases employee satisfaction.
D) It solely focuses on hardware upgrades.
Answer: B
,Explanation: Business continuity is vital because it minimizes operational downtime and helps preserve
both revenue and organizational reputation.
6. Which phase of the Business Continuity Planning lifecycle involves defining the scope and initiating
the process?
A) Recovery strategy development
B) Testing and maintenance
C) Initiation and scope definition
D) Business impact analysis
Answer: C
Explanation: The initiation and scope definition phase establishes the foundation for the entire business
continuity planning process.
7. What is the main objective of a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)?
A) To develop marketing strategies
B) To assess the financial impact of non-critical functions
C) To identify and prioritize critical business functions and the impact of their disruption
D) To manage human resources
Answer: C
Explanation: A Business Impact Analysis identifies and prioritizes the critical functions of a business and
determines the impact of their loss or disruption.
8. In a BIA, what does Recovery Time Objective (RTO) refer to?
A) The maximum tolerable period to restore a function
B) The time required for employee training
C) The delay before data is backed up
D) The duration of a scheduled maintenance window
Answer: A
Explanation: RTO is the maximum acceptable time that a business function can be down before causing
unacceptable damage.
9. What does Recovery Point Objective (RPO) define?
A) The maximum allowable data loss measured in time
B) The time required to complete a recovery plan
C) The interval between backup tests
D) The threshold for hardware failure
Answer: A
Explanation: RPO specifies the maximum amount of data loss measured in time, indicating the point in
time to which data must be restored.
10. Which of the following is an example of an active recovery strategy?
A) Relying on periodic backups stored offsite
B) Using redundant systems that run concurrently
C) Waiting for manual intervention after a disaster
D) Shutting down non-essential services permanently
Answer: B
,Explanation: Active recovery involves using redundant systems that operate concurrently to minimize
downtime.
11. What is a hot site in recovery site terminology?
A) A facility that is ready to operate immediately after a disruption
B) A backup location that requires several days to become operational
C) A site that is used only for data backup storage
D) A location that serves as an alternate office for administrative tasks
Answer: A
Explanation: A hot site is a fully operational backup location that can take over almost immediately if a
primary site fails.
12. Which backup strategy involves saving only the data that has changed since the last full backup?
A) Full backup
B) Differential backup
C) Incremental backup
D) Mirror backup
Answer: C
Explanation: Incremental backup saves only the data that has changed since the last backup, reducing
storage needs and backup time.
13. What is the primary benefit of implementing data encryption in business continuity planning?
A) Faster data recovery
B) Lower hardware costs
C) Enhanced data security during transmission and storage
D) Reduced energy consumption
Answer: C
Explanation: Data encryption protects sensitive information during both transmission and storage,
enhancing overall data security.
14. Which regulatory requirement emphasizes the protection of personal data, impacting business
continuity plans?
A) ISO 22301
B) HIPAA
C) GDPR
D) NFPA 1600
Answer: C
Explanation: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) focuses on the protection of personal data and
affects how organizations manage data continuity.
15. What role does virtualization technology play in supporting business continuity?
A) It simplifies employee scheduling
B) It increases physical storage space
C) It enables rapid deployment and recovery of virtualized resources
D) It reduces marketing expenses
Answer: C
, Explanation: Virtualization allows for the quick replication and deployment of virtual machines,
enhancing recovery speed during disruptions.
16. Which system design ensures that if one component fails, another can take over immediately?
A) Single server architecture
B) High availability architecture
C) Standalone workstation model
D) Offline computing
Answer: B
Explanation: High availability architectures are designed to allow immediate failover to backup systems
when a component fails.
17. How does cloud computing contribute to business continuity?
A) It eliminates the need for data backups
B) It offers scalable, on-demand resources and backup solutions
C) It guarantees zero downtime
D) It reduces employee training costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Cloud computing provides scalable and flexible resources that can be rapidly deployed to
ensure business continuity.
18. What is a key component of an effective incident response plan (IRP)?
A) Employee holiday scheduling
B) Crisis communication protocols
C) Long-term investment planning
D) Annual marketing reviews
Answer: B
Explanation: Crisis communication protocols are essential in an incident response plan to ensure that all
stakeholders receive timely and accurate information during a crisis.
19. What is the main goal of testing and exercising business continuity plans?
A) To prepare employees for routine tasks
B) To evaluate the effectiveness and readiness of the plan
C) To increase the number of backup sites
D) To improve product quality
Answer: B
Explanation: Regular testing helps to assess the effectiveness of a business continuity plan and ensures
that all components are ready for an actual disruption.
20. Which type of business continuity exercise involves simulating a disaster in a controlled
environment?
A) Tabletop exercise
B) Simulation drill
C) Full-scale drill
D) All of the above
Answer: D
1. What is the primary purpose of business continuity planning?
A) To increase profits
B) To ensure the continuation of critical business functions during disruptions
C) To improve marketing strategies
D) To streamline employee recruitment
Answer: B
Explanation: Business continuity planning is designed to ensure that essential business functions
continue during and after unexpected disruptions.
2. Which term best describes the process focused on restoring IT systems and data after an incident?
A) Business Continuity
B) Disaster Recovery
C) Data Protection
D) Risk Management
Answer: B
Explanation: Disaster recovery specifically targets the restoration of IT systems and data following a
disruption.
3. What distinguishes business continuity from disaster recovery?
A) Business continuity focuses solely on IT systems.
B) Disaster recovery is a broader plan covering all business areas.
C) Business continuity encompasses overall organizational operations, while disaster recovery is IT-
centric.
D) They are essentially the same.
Answer: C
Explanation: Business continuity ensures overall organizational functions continue, whereas disaster
recovery deals primarily with restoring IT systems.
4. Which of the following is NOT a key principle of business continuity planning?
A) Risk assessment
B) Business impact analysis
C) Marketing analysis
D) Recovery strategy development
Answer: C
Explanation: Marketing analysis is not a principle of business continuity planning; the focus is on
identifying risks, impacts, and recovery methods.
5. In the context of IT and business strategy, why is business continuity critical?
A) It enhances customer engagement exclusively.
B) It minimizes downtime and preserves revenue and reputation.
C) It primarily increases employee satisfaction.
D) It solely focuses on hardware upgrades.
Answer: B
,Explanation: Business continuity is vital because it minimizes operational downtime and helps preserve
both revenue and organizational reputation.
6. Which phase of the Business Continuity Planning lifecycle involves defining the scope and initiating
the process?
A) Recovery strategy development
B) Testing and maintenance
C) Initiation and scope definition
D) Business impact analysis
Answer: C
Explanation: The initiation and scope definition phase establishes the foundation for the entire business
continuity planning process.
7. What is the main objective of a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)?
A) To develop marketing strategies
B) To assess the financial impact of non-critical functions
C) To identify and prioritize critical business functions and the impact of their disruption
D) To manage human resources
Answer: C
Explanation: A Business Impact Analysis identifies and prioritizes the critical functions of a business and
determines the impact of their loss or disruption.
8. In a BIA, what does Recovery Time Objective (RTO) refer to?
A) The maximum tolerable period to restore a function
B) The time required for employee training
C) The delay before data is backed up
D) The duration of a scheduled maintenance window
Answer: A
Explanation: RTO is the maximum acceptable time that a business function can be down before causing
unacceptable damage.
9. What does Recovery Point Objective (RPO) define?
A) The maximum allowable data loss measured in time
B) The time required to complete a recovery plan
C) The interval between backup tests
D) The threshold for hardware failure
Answer: A
Explanation: RPO specifies the maximum amount of data loss measured in time, indicating the point in
time to which data must be restored.
10. Which of the following is an example of an active recovery strategy?
A) Relying on periodic backups stored offsite
B) Using redundant systems that run concurrently
C) Waiting for manual intervention after a disaster
D) Shutting down non-essential services permanently
Answer: B
,Explanation: Active recovery involves using redundant systems that operate concurrently to minimize
downtime.
11. What is a hot site in recovery site terminology?
A) A facility that is ready to operate immediately after a disruption
B) A backup location that requires several days to become operational
C) A site that is used only for data backup storage
D) A location that serves as an alternate office for administrative tasks
Answer: A
Explanation: A hot site is a fully operational backup location that can take over almost immediately if a
primary site fails.
12. Which backup strategy involves saving only the data that has changed since the last full backup?
A) Full backup
B) Differential backup
C) Incremental backup
D) Mirror backup
Answer: C
Explanation: Incremental backup saves only the data that has changed since the last backup, reducing
storage needs and backup time.
13. What is the primary benefit of implementing data encryption in business continuity planning?
A) Faster data recovery
B) Lower hardware costs
C) Enhanced data security during transmission and storage
D) Reduced energy consumption
Answer: C
Explanation: Data encryption protects sensitive information during both transmission and storage,
enhancing overall data security.
14. Which regulatory requirement emphasizes the protection of personal data, impacting business
continuity plans?
A) ISO 22301
B) HIPAA
C) GDPR
D) NFPA 1600
Answer: C
Explanation: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) focuses on the protection of personal data and
affects how organizations manage data continuity.
15. What role does virtualization technology play in supporting business continuity?
A) It simplifies employee scheduling
B) It increases physical storage space
C) It enables rapid deployment and recovery of virtualized resources
D) It reduces marketing expenses
Answer: C
, Explanation: Virtualization allows for the quick replication and deployment of virtual machines,
enhancing recovery speed during disruptions.
16. Which system design ensures that if one component fails, another can take over immediately?
A) Single server architecture
B) High availability architecture
C) Standalone workstation model
D) Offline computing
Answer: B
Explanation: High availability architectures are designed to allow immediate failover to backup systems
when a component fails.
17. How does cloud computing contribute to business continuity?
A) It eliminates the need for data backups
B) It offers scalable, on-demand resources and backup solutions
C) It guarantees zero downtime
D) It reduces employee training costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Cloud computing provides scalable and flexible resources that can be rapidly deployed to
ensure business continuity.
18. What is a key component of an effective incident response plan (IRP)?
A) Employee holiday scheduling
B) Crisis communication protocols
C) Long-term investment planning
D) Annual marketing reviews
Answer: B
Explanation: Crisis communication protocols are essential in an incident response plan to ensure that all
stakeholders receive timely and accurate information during a crisis.
19. What is the main goal of testing and exercising business continuity plans?
A) To prepare employees for routine tasks
B) To evaluate the effectiveness and readiness of the plan
C) To increase the number of backup sites
D) To improve product quality
Answer: B
Explanation: Regular testing helps to assess the effectiveness of a business continuity plan and ensures
that all components are ready for an actual disruption.
20. Which type of business continuity exercise involves simulating a disaster in a controlled
environment?
A) Tabletop exercise
B) Simulation drill
C) Full-scale drill
D) All of the above
Answer: D
