220-1102 Operational Procedures Practice Question
A technician has received approval from the Change Advisory Board (CAB) to apply a critical security patch to a file server. The patch requires a reboot. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT before beginning the installation?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates prioritize user notification (Option A) because it seems proactive, but CompTIA emphasizes that data protection through backup is the immediate next step after CAB approval, not communication.
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
✓
Perform a full system backup
Before applying any patch that requires a reboot, a full system backup ensures data integrity and provides a restore point if the patch causes boot failure or data corruption. This aligns with the CompTIA A+ change management process, which mandates a rollback plan before implementing approved changes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Notify all users via email that the server will be unavailable
Why it's wrong here
Sending a mass email to users is part of the change communication plan, but it is not the first technical action after CAB approval. Notification should be coordinated after the backup is completed so that if the patch introduces a critical fault, you can roll back without having already set user expectations for a specific maintenance window. In change management, stakeholder communication supports the plan but does not protect system state, so it cannot be the immediate next step.
- ✓
Perform a full system backup
Why this is correct
Performing a full system backup is the correct next step because it creates a verified restore point that can be used to return the server to its exact pre-patch state if the patch fails or corrupts data. Most enterprise patching best practices require a known-good backup before applying any software modification to production systems. This backup must be validated to ensure it is restorable, not merely completed.
- ✗
Uninstall the previous version of the software
Why it's wrong here
Uninstalling the existing version before applying a patch is generally unnecessary and potentially harmful because most patches are designed as incremental updates that overlay the current installation while preserving configuration settings and application data. Forcing an uninstall could remove databases, registry entries, or service accounts that the patched version expects to find, leading to a broken deployment. Unless the vendor's patch release notes explicitly require a clean installation, the standard procedure is to apply the patch over the existing version.
- ✗
Disable the antivirus software
Why it's wrong here
Disabling antivirus software during a patch install might be required for certain applications that conflict with security hooks, but it is not a routine first step and should only be done if the vendor's documentation explicitly directs it. Turning off protective software introduces a window of vulnerability, and doing so before a backup is performed leaves the system unprotected without any rollback safety net. The immediate priority is to secure a backup; antivirus changes, if any, come later and must be justified by the patch's specific requirements.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Cloud Backup Solutions
Key term
Backup
A backup is a copy of computer data taken and stored separately so that the original data can be restored if it is lost, damaged, or corrupted.
Key term
Integrity
Integrity is the assurance that data has not been altered or tampered with in an unauthorized way, preserving its accuracy and consistency from source to destination.
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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.