Final answer:
The correct backup location for system logs to guard against catastrophic failures is 'the cloud'. Cloud storage offers advantages like redundancy and accessibility, which are crucial for data protection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The system log, which is an essential component of a computer's operating system, keeps track of events and activities that occur within the system. To protect against data loss from catastrophic failures, it is important to periodically back up these logs. The backup can be done to various locations, but the correct answer to this particular question is '3) the cloud'. This is because cloud storage solutions provide redundancy, scalability, and reliable access to data backups from any location with internet access, ensuring that the logs remain safe even if local systems are compromised. Backing up to a local server, an external hard drive, or a USB drive might protect data to some extent, but each of these methods has vulnerabilities that could lead to data loss in case of physical damage, theft, or other forms of system failure.