CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

Which of these roles could be described as providing operations that can only be handled by one domain controller at a time?

1. Global Catalog Server

2. Master Browser

3. FSMO roles

4. Routed TCP/IP network

The correct answer is: FSMO roles

The correct answer focuses on FSMO roles, which stands for Flexible Single Master Operations. In Active Directory environments, FSMO roles are critical because they designate specific tasks to particular domain controllers, ensuring that certain operations can only be performed by one designated server at a time. This is vital for maintaining consistency and integrity within the directory. For instance, there are five FSMO roles: Schema Master, Domain Naming Master, RID Master, PDC Emulator, and Infrastructure Master. If multiple domain controllers were handling these operations simultaneously, it could lead to conflicts and data inconsistency. Therefore, FSMO roles ensure that these specific tasks are centralized to prevent overlapping and ensure that operations that require a single authoritative source are managed seamlessly. The other options, while relevant in the context of domain controllers and network operations, do not fit the specific criteria of being limited to one operational controller at a time. For example, a Global Catalog Server can exist on multiple domain controllers, and the Master Browser is responsible for maintaining a list of network resources, but this role does not restrict operations to a single controller like FSMO roles do. Routed TCP/IP networks discuss network behavior rather than domain controller operations, so they don’t fall into the same category either. Thus, FSMO roles are