N10-009 Network Operations Practice Question
A company has a change management policy that requires all network changes to be approved and documented. An administrator needs to replace a faulty switch in the core network. According to best practices, which step should be performed after the replacement is complete?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the operational step of 'notifying users' (which is part of the change communication plan, not the post-implementation step) with the documentation requirement, leading them to select Option C instead of recognizing that updating the network diagram is the critical final step to close the change record.
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
✓
Update the network diagram.
Updating the network diagram is the correct step because it ensures that the documentation accurately reflects the new switch's location, model, firmware version, and connections. This aligns with change management best practices, which require that all network changes be documented to maintain an accurate source of truth for troubleshooting, capacity planning, and future changes. Without this update, the diagram becomes stale, leading to potential misconfigurations or delays during incident response.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Update the network diagram.
Why this is correct
Updating the network diagram is a critical post-implementation step within a robust change management policy. Accurate and current network documentation, including diagrams, is essential for effective future troubleshooting, capacity planning, security audits, and onboarding new technical personnel. Failing to update these records after a change can lead to significant delays and errors during incident response or subsequent modifications, as the recorded state no longer accurately reflects the actual network configuration.
- ✗
Roll back to the previous switch.
Why it's wrong here
A rollback plan, detailing the precise procedure to revert to the previous stable state, is a crucial component of the change planning phase, executed only if the implemented change fails or introduces unforeseen issues. It is a contingency measure designed to minimize downtime and impact during or immediately after implementation, ensuring business continuity. Therefore, rolling back to a previous switch is a pre-planned recovery action for a failed change, not a routine step performed after a successful change has been completed and verified.
When this WOULD be correct
If a change causes unexpected critical failures or security vulnerabilities, and the change management policy mandates immediate rollback to restore service while a root cause analysis is performed, then rolling back would be the correct step.
- ✗
Notify users of the change.
Why it's wrong here
Notifying users about a network change is a vital communication step that must occur proactively, *prior* to the scheduled implementation. This allows users to anticipate potential service interruptions, plan their work accordingly, and report any expected issues, minimizing disruption to their productivity. Notifying users *after* the change is complete and successful provides no opportunity for preparation and can lead to significant frustration if they experienced unexpected downtime or altered functionality without any prior warning.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a planned maintenance window is about to start and users need to be aware of upcoming network disruption, notifying users would be the correct step before implementing the change.
- ✗
Submit a change request.
Why it's wrong here
Submitting a change request is a foundational pre-implementation step within a robust change management policy, not a post-completion action. This formal document outlines the proposed modification, its scope, potential impact, and a detailed rollback plan, requiring formal approval from relevant stakeholders and a Change Advisory Board (CAB) before any work commences. Submitting it after the change has already occurred completely defeats the purpose of controlled, pre-authorized modifications and proactive risk assessment.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where an administrator needs to make a network change (e.g., replacing a switch) and the change management policy requires prior approval, the first step is to submit a change request for review and approval before performing the replacement.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The N10-009 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Update the network diagram.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Updating the network diagram is a critical post-implementation step within a robust change management policy. Accurate and current network documentation, including diagrams, is essential for effective future troubleshooting, capacity planning, security audits, and onboarding new technical personnel. Failing to update these records after a change can lead to significant delays and errors during incident response or subsequent modifications, as the recorded state no longer accurately reflects the actual network configuration.
✗Roll back to the previous switch.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Rolling back to the previous switch is not appropriate because the faulty switch has already been replaced with a working one; rolling back would reintroduce the fault and disrupt operations.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If a change causes unexpected critical failures or security vulnerabilities, and the change management policy mandates immediate rollback to restore service while a root cause analysis is performed, then rolling back would be the correct step.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the replacement process with a failed change that requires rollback, or they may think that reverting to the original switch is a standard troubleshooting step after any replacement.
✗Notify users of the change.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Notifying users of the change is not a step performed after the replacement is complete; it should be done before the change to inform users of potential downtime. The question asks for the step after replacement, which is updating documentation.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a planned maintenance window is about to start and users need to be aware of upcoming network disruption, notifying users would be the correct step before implementing the change.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that after completing a change, users should be informed that the network is back to normal, but proper change management requires notification prior to the change, not after.
✗Submit a change request.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The change request should be submitted and approved before the replacement, not after. The question states the replacement is already complete, so submitting a change request afterward violates the policy's requirement for prior approval.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where an administrator needs to make a network change (e.g., replacing a switch) and the change management policy requires prior approval, the first step is to submit a change request for review and approval before performing the replacement.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that documenting the change after completion satisfies the policy, but they overlook the 'approved and documented' requirement, which mandates prior approval.
Analysis generated from the official N10-009blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Documentation and Diagrams
Key term
Switch
A switch is a networking device that connects devices on a local area network and uses MAC addresses to forward data only to the intended recipient.
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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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This N10-009 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 N10-009 exam.