CISA Domain 2 Practice Exam

Including a source code escrow agreement in a contract for a proprietary application solution is essential because it ensures that the source code is protected and accessible under specific circumstances, such as the vendor going out of business or failing to support the application. This safeguard provides reassurance to the organization that it will have the ability to maintain and update the application even if the original developer is no longer available.

In the context of best practices, a source code escrow agreement establishes a legal framework for the safe storage of the source code. The escrow agent holds the code, and it can be released to the organization under agreed-upon conditions, thus mitigating risks associated with reliance on a single vendor. This is particularly critical for proprietary software, where the organization may have significant investments tied to the functionality and performance of that software.

While options such as a backup server with up-to-date data or training for the systems staff are relevant components of an IT solution, they do not specifically address the risks related to vendor dependency and code access. A backup server loaded with relevant software could ensure operational continuity, but it does not provide the same level of security and assurance regarding the application's long-term viability as a source code escrow agreement does.