A web application is experiencing slow database queries during peak traffic. The database server is separate from the application server. Which optimization is most likely to improve performance without changing application logic?

Move the database to a different network segment.

Increase the number of application server threads.

Use a NoSQL database to replace the relational database.

Add an index on the columns used in the WHERE clauses of frequent queries.

A company runs a legacy PHP application on a single web server. They want to modernize by introducing an application server for business logic while keeping the web server for static content and request routing. The application uses shared memory for session data and expects to maintain session state across requests. Which architecture change best preserves session continuity while separating concerns?

Keep session data in the web server's local filesystem and configure the application server to read from that filesystem over NFS.

Move session storage to a centralized Redis instance and configure both the web server and application server to use it.

Use sticky sessions on the load balancer to always route a user to the same web server, keeping local session storage.

Configure the application server to generate a new session ID for every request and store session data in the database.

A web application is designed with a three-tier architecture: presentation, application, and data. The presentation tier is a single-page application (SPA) that communicates with the application tier via REST APIs. The application tier connects to a database for persistence. Which component is part of the application tier?

The HTML and CSS files served to the client

The JavaScript code running in the browser

The REST API server that executes business logic

What is the primary role of middleware in a web application architecture?

To store and retrieve persistent data

To facilitate communication and data exchange between different software components

To provide a user interface for administrators

To render HTML and CSS for the browser

GIAC Certified Web Application Defender

Domain 1Objective 2

Web Architecture and Configuration GWEB Practice Questions (Page 8)

Part of the Web Application Foundations domain, which makes up ~16% of our current practice bank. GIAC (SANS) does not publish an official question count, but from its 180-minute exam (~70–120 total, ~11–19 in this domain), expect 6–10 from this objective — we provide 56 practice questions to prepare you well beyond it. (estimate)

56questions here

12free pages

10concepts

Questions 36–40

36application · medium
A web application is experiencing slow database queries during peak traffic. The database server is separate from the application server. Which optimization is most likely to improve performance without changing application logic?
Select an answer first
37foundation · easy
Which HTTP method is intended to retrieve a representation of a resource without causing any side effects on the server?
Select an answer first
38expert · hard
A company runs a legacy PHP application on a single web server. They want to modernize by introducing an application server for business logic while keeping the web server for static content and request routing. The application uses shared memory for session data and expects to maintain session state across requests. Which architecture change best preserves session continuity while separating concerns?
Select an answer first
39application · easy
A web application is designed with a three-tier architecture: presentation, application, and data. The presentation tier is a single-page application (SPA) that communicates with the application tier via REST APIs. The application tier connects to a database for persistence. Which component is part of the application tier?
Select an answer first
40foundation · easy
What is the primary role of middleware in a web application architecture?
Select an answer first

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Web Architecture and Configuration GWEB Practice Questions (Page 8)

Questions 36–40

A web application is experiencing slow database queries during peak traffic. The database server is separate from the application server. Which optimization is most likely to improve performance without changing application logic?

Which HTTP method is intended to retrieve a representation of a resource without causing any side effects on the server?

What is the primary role of middleware in a web application architecture?

Keep studying — Web Application Foundations