220-1102 Operational Procedures Practice Question
A change to apply a critical security patch to a production application server has been approved by the Change Advisory Board (CAB) with a detailed implementation plan. During the scheduled maintenance window, the technician begins the patching process and discovers that a required prerequisite update is not installed on the server. The prerequisite update is available for download but was not included in the approved change plan. According to change management best practices, what should the technician do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume 'emergency change' procedures apply to any unplanned discovery, but change management best practices dictate that the first action must always be to stop and back out, not to seek ad-hoc approval or proceed outside the approved plan.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Stop the implementation and initiate the backout plan defined in the change request
Change management best practices require strict adherence to the approved implementation plan. Discovering a missing prerequisite means the current plan is incomplete, and proceeding without authorization could introduce unforeseen risks or conflicts. The technician must stop work and execute the backout plan to restore the server to its original state, then submit a new change request that includes the prerequisite.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Stop the implementation and initiate the backout plan defined in the change request
Why this is correct
The change request includes a documented backout procedure designed to restore the server to its pre-change state. Halting implementation prevents the misapplied patch from being completed and gives the system a known-good configuration. Then a new change request can be created with the prerequisite included and properly approved. This adheres to change management best practices by avoiding unauthorized deviations.
- ✗
Continue with the approved change and note the prerequisite as a post-implementation issue
Why it's wrong here
Proceeding without a documented prerequisite is a deviation from the approved plan and exposes production to an untested configuration. If the patch fails or introduces instability, you'll be forced into an unplanned backout, which is riskier than a planned one. Noting it post-implementation is backward because the issue exists now, and you would be knowingly deploying into an invalid state. This violates the integrity of the change management process and audit trails.
- ✗
Contact the CAB chair for emergency approval to apply the prerequisite
Why it's wrong here
Emergency approval is for immediate, unplanned changes to mitigate active incidents, not to retrofit a missed prerequisite into an ongoing deployment. The first obligation is to halt the change and execute the backout to return the system to a stable, known state. After that, a new change request can incorporate the prerequisite with proper testing and CAB review. Calling the CAB chair now would bypass the planned verification steps and could introduce additional unvalidated changes to production.
- ✗
Download and apply the prerequisite update immediately to proceed with the patch
Why it's wrong here
Silently applying the prerequisite is an unapproved change that circumvents testing and CAB scrutiny. That update may itself require reboots, conflict with existing software, or have dependencies that aren't yet satisfied, potentially causing unexpected downtime. It also muddies the audit trail and change record, making it impossible to attribute the exact state of production as approved. This ad-hoc approach increases technical risk and violates the very governance that protects production stability.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Troubleshoot: Cloud Application Issues
Key term
Authorization
Authorization determines what an authenticated user is allowed to do within a system, such as accessing files, running programs, or changing settings.
Key term
Change management
Change management is the structured process of planning, approving, implementing, and reviewing changes to IT systems to minimize risk and disruption.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on 220-1102
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A change request to apply a critical security patch to a production web server has been approved by the Change Advisory Board (CAB) with a detailed implementation plan. During the scheduled maintenance window, the technician discovers that a required prerequisite patch is missing. The prerequisite patch is available for download and was tested in the lab, but it was not listed in the approved change plan. According to change management best practices, what should the technician do FIRST?
medium- ✓ A.Stop and submit a new change request for the prerequisite patch before proceeding
- B.Proceed with the critical patch first, then add the prerequisite in a subsequent change
- C.Download and install the prerequisite patch since it was already tested in the lab
- D.Request an emergency change from the CAB while continuing the implementation
Why A: Change management best practices require that all changes, including prerequisite patches, must be formally approved by the CAB before implementation. Even though the prerequisite was tested in the lab, it was not included in the approved change plan, so proceeding without approval violates the change control process and could introduce unapproved modifications to a production system. The technician must stop work and submit a new change request to ensure proper documentation, risk assessment, and authorization.
Variation 2. A technician is scheduled to apply a firmware update to a storage array during a maintenance window. The change was approved by the Change Advisory Board (CAB). At the start of the window, the technician discovers that the latest firmware version is only available on the vendor's support portal, which requires an active support contract that has expired. According to change management best practices, what should the technician do NEXT?
easy- A.Apply the firmware update using a previous version that is already available locally.
- ✓ B.Stop the change and notify the Change Advisory Board that the prerequisites are not met.
- C.Purchase a new support contract immediately using a company credit card and proceed with the update.
- D.Download the firmware from an unofficial mirror site to keep within the maintenance window.
Why B: The technician must stop the change because the prerequisite (a valid support contract to access the latest firmware) is not met. Change management best practices require that all prerequisites be satisfied before proceeding; otherwise, the change risks failure or security issues. The technician should notify the CAB so they can assess the situation and decide on next steps, such as renewing the contract or rescheduling the update.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1102 exam.