An administrator is tasked with deploying dozens of new virtual servers in the cloud. Each server, upon its first boot, must automatically install a baseline set of applications, configure network settings, apply security hardening policies, and enroll in the company's device management system. Which of the following terms BEST describes the script or process used to perform this initial automated configuration?
The correct answer is a bootstrap script. Bootstrapping is the process of using a script to automate the initial configuration of a server when it is first launched. This is a common practice in cloud and virtualized environments to ensure new instances are brought to a desired, consistent state without manual intervention. The script typically handles tasks like installing software, applying security configurations, and registering the server with management systems.
A login script runs when a user logs into a system and is used to configure the user's environment, not the initial state of the server itself. A scheduled task is a script or program configured to run at predetermined times or intervals for ongoing maintenance, not for a one-time initial setup. A failover script is used in a high-availability environment to switch operations to a redundant or standby system in the event of a primary system failure, which is a different purpose from initial server configuration.