Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Pega’s Search and Reporting Service (SRS), as described in Pega Academy’sLead System Architect Missionand thePega Certified Lead System Architect Study Guide, is a managed cloud service that replaces embedded Elasticsearch for full-text search, offering improved reliability and flexibility.

Option A (Correct): SRS eliminates issues with data index loss when Util nodes crash, as it is a managed service with built-in redundancy and fault tolerance, unlike embedded Elasticsearch, which relies on local nodes. This is documented in theSearch and Reporting Servicesection of Pega Community.

Option B (Incorrect): Row-level security is managed by Pega’s access control mechanisms, not by SRS or embedded Elasticsearch. SRS focuses on search functionality, per theSecurity Designmodule.

Option C (Correct): SRS operates on independent release cycles from the Pega Platform, allowing updates without impacting core application functionality. This contrasts with embedded Elasticsearch, which is tightly coupled, as noted in theSRS Architectureguidelines.

Option D (Incorrect): SRS is a specific Pega-managed service, not a generic connector for any full-text search engine. It replaces embedded Elasticsearch but does not support arbitrary engines, per theSearch Configurationmodule.