CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

What best describes the benefit of implementing a SCADA network overlay?

1. Increased bandwidth for all devices

2. Enhanced out-of-band remote management

3. Lower latency on user connections

4. Centralized data storage

The correct answer is: Enhanced out-of-band remote management

Implementing a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) network overlay provides enhanced out-of-band remote management capabilities. This means that administrators can access and manage the SCADA systems remotely without interfering with the primary operational networks used for process control. Out-of-band management allows for tasks such as troubleshooting, updates, and configuration changes to be performed securely and effectively, even when the primary communication methods are down or compromised. By having a dedicated overlay network for SCADA, organizations can ensure that their critical infrastructure can be monitored and maintained without relying solely on the primary network. This separation enhances security, as it helps to isolate SCADA traffic from other types of traffic, reducing the risk of cyber threats affecting critical operational systems. Moreover, it can improve overall resilience and reliability of the SCADA system, allowing for faster response times to incidents or performance issues. In contrast, the other options do not adequately capture the primary advantage of such a network overlay. Significant increases in bandwidth, lower latency, or centralized data storage are not direct benefits associated specifically with the introduction of a SCADA network overlay. While these factors may be improved by other means or through different network architectures, they are not the core value provided by implementing SCADA network overlays.