220-1102 Operational Procedures Practice Question
A technician needs to apply a critical security patch to a file server that requires a reboot, causing a brief outage. The server is used during business hours. According to change management best practices, what should the technician do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse urgency with immediacy, thinking a critical security patch must be installed right away, but change management best practices require formal approval even for urgent patches, typically via an emergency change process rather than bypassing the CAB entirely.
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
✓
Submit a change request to the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for approval and scheduling.
Change management best practices require that any change with potential service impact, such as a critical security patch requiring a reboot, must first be submitted as a formal change request to the Change Advisory Board (CAB). The CAB evaluates the risk, impact, and scheduling to minimize disruption, ensuring the patch is applied in a controlled manner rather than causing an unplanned outage during business hours.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Install the patch immediately to protect the server from the security vulnerability.
Why it's wrong here
Installing the patch immediately bypasses the change management process, which exists to evaluate risk, dependencies, and potential service disruption before any modification to production systems. Even a critical security patch could introduce compatibility issues or require a maintenance window, and the CAB must approve the change to ensure all stakeholders are aware and the rollout is coordinated. An urgent vulnerability does not negate the need for a structured, documented approval step; it simply accelerates the review.
- ✗
Send an email to all users about the pending outage.
Why it's wrong here
Notifying users before the change is even approved is premature, because the patch may be denied, rescheduled, or implemented in a way that does not require an outage. A general email does not constitute a formal change request, so it fails to capture the technical details, rollback plan, and rollback criteria that the CAB needs to review. Proper communication to users should occur after the change request is approved and a specific maintenance window is set, not as a substitute for obtaining authorization.
- ✓
Submit a change request to the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for approval and scheduling.
Why this is correct
The first step in a managed change process is to submit a change request to the CAB. The CAB will review the risk, impact, and schedule, then approve or deny the change. This ensures proper planning and stakeholder awareness.
- ✗
Reboot the server after hours without prior notice to avoid disrupting users.
Why it's wrong here
Even if done after hours, this change should still go through the change management process to ensure all dependencies are accounted for and that the change is documented. Unauthorized changes can lead to unexpected issues.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Key term
Security
Security in IT is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft.
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 technician needs to apply a critical security patch to a file server that requires a reboot, causing a service outage of approximately 10 minutes. According to change management best practices, which document should the technician complete and obtain approval for BEFORE performing the update?
easy- ✓ A.Change request
- B.Incident report
- C.Knowledge base article
- D.Asset inventory
Why A: A change request is the correct document because it formally describes the proposed modification (applying a critical security patch that requires a reboot), its scope, risk assessment, rollback plan, and expected downtime. Change management best practices require that any planned change with potential service impact be reviewed and approved by a change advisory board (CAB) before implementation to ensure coordination and minimize disruption.
Variation 2. A technician needs to apply a critical security patch to a database server that hosts a production application. The patch is known to cause a 10-minute service disruption and cannot be applied during normal business hours. According to change management best practices, which document should the technician submit and have approved BEFORE performing the update?
hard- A.Standard operating procedure (SOP)
- B.Incident report
- ✓ C.Request for Change (RFC)
- D.After-action report
Why C: The technician is performing a planned, high-risk change (applying a critical security patch that causes a 10-minute service disruption) outside normal business hours. According to change management best practices, a Request for Change (RFC) must be submitted and approved before implementation to document the change, assess risks, and coordinate the outage window. This ensures the change is authorized, communicated, and has a rollback plan in place.
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.