CISSP · Question #1474
At what level of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model is data at rest on a Storage Area Network (SAN) located?
The correct answer is B. Physical layer. Data at rest on a SAN resides on physical storage media, which maps to the Physical layer (Layer 1) of the OSI model. This question tests understanding of how OSI layers correspond to physical storage concepts.
Question
Options
- ALink layer
- BPhysical layer
- CSession layer
- DApplication layer
How the community answered
(28 responses)- A4% (1)
- B89% (25)
- D7% (2)
Why each option
Data at rest on a SAN resides on physical storage media, which maps to the Physical layer (Layer 1) of the OSI model. This question tests understanding of how OSI layers correspond to physical storage concepts.
The Link layer (Layer 2) handles logical node-to-node data transfer and framing over a physical link, not the storage of data at rest on physical media.
The Physical layer (Layer 1) of the OSI model deals with the actual physical medium and hardware where data is stored, including magnetic disks, SSDs, and optical media in a SAN. Data at rest exists as physical signals or magnetic states on the storage medium itself, before any logical or protocol processing occurs. Therefore, data residing on physical SAN storage is conceptually located at the Physical layer.
The Session layer (Layer 5) manages establishment, maintenance, and termination of communication sessions between applications, and has no role in representing where data physically resides.
The Application layer (Layer 7) provides network services directly to end-user applications and handles data in transit or in use, not data at rest stored on physical media.
Concept tested: OSI model layers mapped to physical storage
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/network/windows-network-architecture-and-the-osi-model
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