What application should Mike deploy to actively counteract hacking attempts on his web servers?

Deploying an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) is an effective measure to actively counteract hacking attempts on web servers. An IPS provides real-time monitoring and analysis of network traffic, allowing it to detect and respond to potential threats. Unlike intrusion detection systems (IDS), which only alert administrators of possible intrusions, an IPS takes immediate action by blocking or preventing malicious traffic from reaching the servers. This proactive defense helps safeguard the integrity and availability of the web servers from exploits and attacks.

Using an IPS is critical in a security posture as it not only identifies malicious activities but also automatically responds to them, thereby reducing the risk and impact of successful breaches. The continuous monitoring capability also ensures that new threats can be addressed promptly as they arise.

The other options serve different purposes within network security. A demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a security architecture that helps segment and protect internal networks by placing certain servers in a separate zone; however, it does not actively counteract attacks. An IDS monitors and alerts on suspicious activities but lacks the active blocking capabilities that an IPS provides. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), while important for data redundancy and performance, does not have any role in security against hacking attempts.