N10-009 Backout Plan Practice Question
A network engineer plans to change the routing protocol configuration on a core router that will affect connectivity to all branches. According to change management best practices, which step should the engineer perform BEFORE implementing the change?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse 'documenting the current configuration' (a preparatory step) with the actual change management requirement to 'create a backout plan,' which is the specific step that ensures the change can be safely undone if it fails.
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
✓
Create a backout plan to revert the change if necessary
Creating a backout plan is a critical step in change management because it provides a documented procedure to revert the router to its previous operational state if the new routing protocol configuration causes connectivity loss or instability. Without a backout plan, the engineer risks prolonged outages across all branches while troubleshooting or attempting to reconstruct the original configuration from memory or incomplete logs. This aligns with ITIL change management best practices, which prioritize risk mitigation and service continuity.
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 branch users of the upcoming change
Why it's wrong here
Notification is important but comes after the change plan is finalized; the key technical step is having a backout plan.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the question asked about a step to perform after the change is approved but before implementation, specifically for a change with direct user impact, such as a planned outage for a branch office.
- ✓
Create a backout plan to revert the change if necessary
Why this is correct
A backout plan is essential for minimizing risk during network changes.
- ✗
Document the current router configuration
Why it's wrong here
Documentation should be kept current at all times, not just before a change.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a question asking: 'A network engineer is about to implement a routing protocol change. Which step should be performed to ensure the configuration can be restored if needed?' In that context, documenting the current configuration is essential for rollback.
- ✗
Schedule the change during a maintenance window
Why it's wrong here
Scheduling is important but the backout plan must be in place before the change window begins.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'After creating a backout plan and documenting the current configuration, which step should the engineer perform next?'
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.
✓Create a backout plan to revert the change if necessaryCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
A backout plan is essential for minimizing risk during network changes.
✗Notify all branch users of the upcoming changeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
While notifying users is important, change management best practices prioritize creating a backout plan before implementation to ensure the change can be reversed if issues arise. Notification typically occurs after the plan is ready.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the question asked about a step to perform after the change is approved but before implementation, specifically for a change with direct user impact, such as a planned outage for a branch office.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think communication is the first step in change management, but they overlook that technical preparation (like a backout plan) must precede user notification to ensure the change is safe.
✗Document the current router configurationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Documenting the current router configuration is important but should be done as part of the change preparation, not as the step before implementation. The key step before implementing a change that affects connectivity is to create a backout plan to revert if necessary, as per change management best practices.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a question asking: 'A network engineer is about to implement a routing protocol change. Which step should be performed to ensure the configuration can be restored if needed?' In that context, documenting the current configuration is essential for rollback.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that documenting the current configuration is a necessary preparatory step, but they overlook that the primary requirement before implementation is having a backout plan to minimize downtime and risk.
✗Schedule the change during a maintenance windowWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Scheduling during a maintenance window is important but is not the step to perform BEFORE implementing the change; the backout plan must be created first to ensure the change can be safely reverted if needed.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'After creating a backout plan and documenting the current configuration, which step should the engineer perform next?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often confuse the order of change management steps, thinking scheduling is the first action, but the backout plan is a prerequisite to ensure safe implementation.
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?”
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Change Advisory Board (CAB) Process
Key term
Intermediate System to Intermediate System
A routing protocol used within large enterprise networks to exchange routing information between routers, helping data find the best path across the network.
Key term
Router
A router is a networking device that connects different networks together and directs data traffic between them by choosing the best path for data to travel.
About these practice questions
This N10-009 question is part of Courseiva's 472-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.