This N10-009 practice question tests your understanding of network operations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An organization wants to centrally manage and monitor network devices from a single interface. The solution should support auto-discovery, configuration management, and performance monitoring. Which type of system should be deployed?
Why wrong: AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) servers manage user access and logging, not device management or monitoring.
B
Network Management System (NMS)
Correct. An NMS like SolarWinds or PRTG provides central monitoring, auto-discovery, configuration management, and performance monitoring for network devices.
C
SIEM
Why wrong: SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) focuses on security event log collection and analysis, not comprehensive network device management.
D
DHCP server
Why wrong: DHCP server assigns IP addresses, not for managing and monitoring network devices.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Network Management System (NMS)
A Network Management System (NMS) is the correct choice because it provides a centralized interface for auto-discovery (e.g., via SNMP or CDP/LLDP), configuration management (e.g., using NETCONF or CLI scripting), and performance monitoring (e.g., polling SNMP MIBs or streaming telemetry). This directly matches the requirement for a single-pane-of-glass solution for network device lifecycle management.
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.
✗
AAA server
Why it's wrong here
AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) servers manage user access and logging, not device management or monitoring.
✓
Network Management System (NMS)
Why this is correct
Correct. An NMS like SolarWinds or PRTG provides central monitoring, auto-discovery, configuration management, and performance monitoring for network devices.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
SIEM
Why it's wrong here
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) focuses on security event log collection and analysis, not comprehensive network device management.
✗
DHCP server
Why it's wrong here
DHCP server assigns IP addresses, not for managing and monitoring network devices.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between an NMS and a SIEM, where candidates mistakenly choose SIEM because they think 'monitoring' includes security event monitoring, but the question explicitly asks for auto-discovery and configuration management, which are core NMS functions, not SIEM capabilities.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, an NMS typically uses SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) to poll device MIBs for performance counters (e.g., CPU, memory, interface utilization) and to receive traps for event notifications. For configuration management, modern NMS platforms leverage NETCONF/YANG or RESTCONF for programmatic, transactional configuration changes, while auto-discovery often relies on CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol) or LLDP (Link Layer Discovery Protocol) to build a live network topology map. In a real-world scenario, an NMS like SolarWinds or Cisco Catalyst Center can automatically discover thousands of devices, push configuration backups, and alert on interface errors before they cause outages.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this N10-009 question in full detail.
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: Network Management System (NMS) — A Network Management System (NMS) is the correct choice because it provides a centralized interface for auto-discovery (e.g., via SNMP or CDP/LLDP), configuration management (e.g., using NETCONF or CLI scripting), and performance monitoring (e.g., polling SNMP MIBs or streaming telemetry). This directly matches the requirement for a single-pane-of-glass solution for network device lifecycle management.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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