An organization's email service is hosted by a third party, and the service level agreement (SLA) requires 99.9% availability. An IS auditor finds that the service has not met its availability level f

Question

Options

• ASelf-host an email server and monitor availability.
• BWithhold payment until availability service level is met.
• CReview the service provider relationship and consider alternatives.
• DDiscontinue use of the email service provider.

• B
  6% (1)
• C
  82% (14)
• D
  12% (2)

Explanation

Reviewing the provider relationship and considering alternatives is the most balanced and professionally sound recommendation because an IS auditor's role is to assess risk and guide decision-making - not to take drastic unilateral action without proper due diligence. Five months of SLA breaches signals a systemic issue that warrants evaluating whether to renegotiate terms, escalate contractually, or migrate to a better provider.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A - Self-hosting introduces new risks, costs, and complexity; it's a major architectural decision that shouldn't be the auditor's first recommendation without a thorough analysis.
• B - Withholding payment may violate the contract itself and could escalate legal issues rather than resolve the availability problem.
• D - Immediately discontinuing the service is too drastic and disruptive without first evaluating alternatives and transition plans; it could cause more downtime than the SLA breach already has.

Memory tip: Think of the IS auditor as a navigator, not a captain - they recommend courses of action based on evidence, not make impulsive operational decisions. "Review and consider" reflects measured, risk-aware guidance, which is always preferred over reactive extremes (withhold, discontinue) or premature solutions (self-host).

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