Which term describes a mode that terminates noncritical processes when a failure occurs to try to keep operations going?

• A. Runbook
• B. Failsoft
• C. SOAR
• D. Bootstrap

Answer: (B)

Failsoft is a mode of operation that preserves system availability by dropping nonessential work when a fault occurs. The idea is to degrade gracefully: shut down or suspend noncritical processes so the essential functions remain up and responsive, allowing operations to continue rather than fail completely. This approach helps maintain service levels under stress or partial outages.

For example, if a server starts hitting resource limits, a failsoft mode might terminate background analytics tasks or noncritical services while keeping core functions like user requests and data access running.

Runbook, in contrast, is a documented set of procedures for responding to incidents. SOAR refers to Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response—automation and coordination for security events. Bootstrap is the process of starting up or loading a system.