The correct answer is C. Application high availability. CompTIA DataSys+ describes a multizone region as an architecture that deploys systems across multiple availability zones within the same geographic region to improve availability, fault tolerance, and resilience. Availability zones are physically separate data centers with independent power, cooling, and networking, but they are connected through low-latency links.
A key characteristic of a multizone disaster recovery (DR) design is high availability of applications. By distributing application components and databases across multiple zones, the system can continue operating even if one zone experiences a failure. DataSys+ emphasizes that multizone architectures are primarily designed to protect against localized infrastructure failures, such as power outages or hardware issues within a single zone, while maintaining service continuity.
Option A, three or more availability zones, is incorrect because a multizone region does not require a specific number of zones. Most implementations use two or more zones, and the exact count depends on the cloud provider and design requirements. Option B, a single geographic location, is misleading; while availability zones are within the same broader region, they are still separate physical locations and not a single data center. Option D, active/active deployment on secondary zones, more accurately describes a multi-region or advanced global DR strategy, not a basic multizone regional design. Secondary zones imply geographically separate regions used for regional disaster recovery.
CompTIA DataSys+ clearly distinguishes high availability from disaster recovery. Multizone deployments primarily focus on availability and fault tolerance within a region, while multi-region strategies address large- scale regional outages. In a multizone DR policy, applications are architected to remain available despite zone- level failures.
Therefore, the defining characteristic of a multizone region in a disaster recovery policy is application high availability, making option C the correct and fully verified answer.

The option that is recommended in order to provide encrypted data communication pathways for information as it is transmitted over a network is TLS. TLS, or Transport Layer Security, is a protocol that provides secure communication over the internet by encrypting the data using cryptographic algorithms and keys. TLS also provides authentication and integrity by verifying the identity of the parties involved and ensuring that the data has not been altered or tampered with. TLS can be used to protect various types of data, such as web traffic, email, instant messaging, voice over IP, etc. The other options are either not related or not sufficient for this purpose. For example, TCP/IP, or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, is a set of protocols that defines how data is transmitted and routed over the internet, but does not provide encryption or security; NFS, or Network File System, is a protocol that allows users to access and share files over a network, but does not provide encryption or security; SMB, or Server Message Block, is a protocol that allows users to access and share files, printers, and other resources over a network, but does not provide encryption or security. Reference: CompTIA DataSys+ Course Outline, Domain 4.0 Data and Database Security, Objective 4.2 Given a scenario, implement security controls for databases.

A reason to create a stored procedure is to improve performance. A stored procedure is a set of SQL statements or commands that are stored and compiled in the database server, and can be executed by name or by a trigger. A stored procedure can improve performance by reducing the network traffic between the client and the server, as only the name or the parameters of the stored procedure need to be sent, rather than the entire SQL code. A stored procedure can also improve performance by reusing the same execution plan, as the stored procedure is compiled only once and cached in the server memory. The other options are either not true or not relevant for this purpose. For example, a stored procedure does not necessarily minimize storage space, as it still occupies space in the database server; a stored procedure does not bypass case sensitivity requirements, as it still follows the rules of the database system; a stored procedure does not give control of the query logic to the user, as it is defined and maintained by the database administrator or developer.

The option that is used to hide data in a database so the data can only be read by a user who has a key is data encryption. Data encryption is a process that transforms data into an unreadable or scrambled form using an algorithm and a key. Data encryption helps protect data from unauthorized access or modification by third parties, such as hackers, eavesdroppers, or interceptors. Data encryption also helps verify the identity and authenticity of the source and destination of the data using digital signatures or certificates. Data encryption can be applied to data at rest (stored in a database) or data in transit (transmitted over a network). To read encrypted data, a user needs to have the corresponding key to decrypt or restore the data to its original form. The other options are either different concepts or not related to hiding data at all. For example, data security is a broad term that encompasses various methods and techniques to protect data from threats or risks; data masking is a technique that replaces sensitive data with fictitious but realistic data to protect its confidentiality or compliance; data protection is a term that refers to the legal or ethical obligations to safeguard personal or sensitive data from misuse or harm. Reference: CompTIA DataSys+ Course Outline, Domain 4.0 Data and Database Security, Objective 4.2 Given a scenario, implement security controls for databases.

Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems authenticate users and authorize permissions, ensuring that only validated individuals can access cloud resources.