- A
Immediately block the port to prevent potential network congestion from affecting other users.
Why wrong: Blocking the port without investigation could disrupt legitimate traffic and is not a best practice. The correct first step is to investigate.
- B
Check the monitoring system logs to identify the traffic source and destination.
Reviewing logs provides context on what is causing the high utilization, enabling informed decision-making about subsequent actions.
- C
Reboot the switch to clear any temporary errors that might be causing the alert.
Why wrong: Rebooting the switch is an aggressive step that would cause network disruption and is not appropriate as an initial response to a bandwidth threshold alert.
- D
Increase the bandwidth on the port to accommodate the higher traffic load.
Why wrong: Increasing bandwidth may be a solution, but it should be done through proper change management after investigating the cause of the traffic increase.
N10-009 Network Operations Practice Question
This N10-009 practice question tests your understanding of network operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network administrator receives an automated alert from the network monitoring system indicating that the bandwidth utilization on a specific switch port has exceeded the threshold for the past 10 minutes. According to best practices for network operations, what should the administrator do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Check the monitoring system logs to identify the traffic source and destination.
Option B is correct because the first step in responding to a bandwidth utilization alert is to investigate the traffic causing the spike. Checking the monitoring system logs allows the administrator to identify the source and destination of the traffic, which is essential for determining whether the utilization is legitimate (e.g., a backup or large file transfer) or malicious (e.g., a DoS attack). This aligns with the network operations best practice of 'verify before acting' to avoid unnecessary disruptions.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Immediately block the port to prevent potential network congestion from affecting other users.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking the port without investigation could disrupt legitimate traffic and is not a best practice. The correct first step is to investigate.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the question stated that the port is experiencing a confirmed security incident, such as a DDoS attack or malware propagation, and immediate isolation is required to protect the network.
- ✓
Check the monitoring system logs to identify the traffic source and destination.
Why this is correct
Reviewing logs provides context on what is causing the high utilization, enabling informed decision-making about subsequent actions.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reboot the switch to clear any temporary errors that might be causing the alert.
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting the switch is an aggressive step that would cause network disruption and is not appropriate as an initial response to a bandwidth threshold alert.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question described symptoms of a switch malfunction, such as unresponsive management interface, random packet loss, or error counters indicating hardware issues, then rebooting the switch could be an appropriate first troubleshooting step.
- ✗
Increase the bandwidth on the port to accommodate the higher traffic load.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing bandwidth may be a solution, but it should be done through proper change management after investigating the cause of the traffic increase.
When this WOULD be correct
When the question states that the port is a critical link for a time-sensitive application and the threshold is set too low for normal operations, and the administrator has already verified that the traffic is legitimate.
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.
✓Check the monitoring system logs to identify the traffic source and destination.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Reviewing logs provides context on what is causing the high utilization, enabling informed decision-making about subsequent actions.
✗Immediately block the port to prevent potential network congestion from affecting other users.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Immediately blocking the port is an extreme reaction that disrupts connectivity without first diagnosing the cause. Best practices prioritize investigation over reactive measures to avoid unnecessary downtime.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the question stated that the port is experiencing a confirmed security incident, such as a DDoS attack or malware propagation, and immediate isolation is required to protect the network.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that preventing congestion is urgent and that blocking the port is a quick fix, but they overlook the need for analysis and the potential impact on legitimate traffic.
✗Reboot the switch to clear any temporary errors that might be causing the alert.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Rebooting the switch is a disruptive action that should not be the first step for a bandwidth utilization alert, as it does not address the root cause and may interrupt legitimate traffic without resolving the issue.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question described symptoms of a switch malfunction, such as unresponsive management interface, random packet loss, or error counters indicating hardware issues, then rebooting the switch could be an appropriate first troubleshooting step.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may default to 'reboot' as a quick fix for any network issue, overlooking that bandwidth alerts typically require traffic analysis rather than device restart.
✗Increase the bandwidth on the port to accommodate the higher traffic load.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Increasing bandwidth without investigating the cause of the alert does not address the underlying issue and may lead to cost increases or mask a security incident.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the question states that the port is a critical link for a time-sensitive application and the threshold is set too low for normal operations, and the administrator has already verified that the traffic is legitimate.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that adding bandwidth is a quick fix to resolve performance issues without considering the need for root cause analysis first.
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?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates panic and choose 'immediately block the port' (Option A) thinking it's a proactive security measure, but CompTIA Network+ emphasizes that network operations require analysis before action to avoid disrupting legitimate traffic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SNMP-based monitoring systems (e.g., using MIB-II ifInOctets) poll interface counters at intervals (e.g., 5 minutes) to calculate average utilization. A sustained 10-minute threshold breach suggests a continuous flow, which could be a backup job, a streaming service, or a DDoS amplification attack. In a real-world scenario, the administrator would use NetFlow or sFlow data from the logs to pinpoint the offending IP and port, then decide whether to apply a rate-limit or an ACL, not blindly block or reboot.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the N10-009 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this N10-009 question test?
Network Operations — This question tests Network Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Check the monitoring system logs to identify the traffic source and destination. — Option B is correct because the first step in responding to a bandwidth utilization alert is to investigate the traffic causing the spike. Checking the monitoring system logs allows the administrator to identify the source and destination of the traffic, which is essential for determining whether the utilization is legitimate (e.g., a backup or large file transfer) or malicious (e.g., a DoS attack). This aligns with the network operations best practice of 'verify before acting' to avoid unnecessary disruptions.
What should I do if I get this N10-009 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "first". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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