Network Defense Essentials (NDE) Practice Exam

Which environmental threat can cause issues like corrosion and damage to magnetic tapes?

1. Electrical Overload

2. Temperature and Humidity

3. Surge Protection

4. Electromagnetic Interference

The correct answer is: Temperature and Humidity

The correct choice highlights the significant impact that temperature and humidity can have on electronic equipment and storage media, particularly magnetic tapes. High humidity can lead to condensation, which creates a moist environment conducive to corrosion. Corrosion can degrade the physical integrity of magnetic tapes, leading to data loss or damage. Furthermore, both extreme temperatures and humidity levels can alter the magnetic properties of the tapes, affecting data retention and readability. In contrast, electrical overload pertains to voltages exceeding what electronic devices can handle, which leads to circuit damage but does not directly affect magnetic tapes through corrosion. Surge protection is designed to mitigate the impact of voltage spikes, protecting electronic devices from damage, but it doesn’t address the environmental factors contributing to corrosion. Electromagnetic interference, while it can disrupt electronic signals, does not directly cause physical damage like corrosion does, nor does it affect the magnetic media in the same way that temperature and humidity fluctuations can. Thus, understanding the role of environmental conditions is crucial for maintaining the physical integrity of data storage solutions.