Quick Answer
The answer is to submit a change request. This is the correct first step in firmware upgrade change management because change management frameworks, such as ITIL, mandate that all network changes must be formally proposed, reviewed, and approved before any technical work begins. Submitting a change request ensures the upgrade is documented, a rollback plan is established, and potential risks are assessed, preventing unauthorized changes that could cause network instability. On the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam, this question tests your understanding of change management procedures, often appearing as a scenario where you must identify the initial action before any configuration or firmware update. A common trap is choosing "back up the configuration" first, but documentation and approval always precede technical steps. Remember the mnemonic: "Request Before Reboot" — always get approval before touching the firmware.
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 needs to upgrade the firmware on a core switch. According to change management best practices, which step should be performed 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.
Download the new firmware
Why wrong: Downloading firmware should only occur after the change is approved.
Create a backup of the current configuration
Why wrong: Backups are important but should be done after the change request is approved.
Submit a change request
The first step is to submit a change request for approval.
Schedule a maintenance window
Why wrong: Scheduling a maintenance window comes after the change request is approved.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Submit a change request
According to change management best practices, the first step in any network change is to submit a change request (option C). This ensures the proposed firmware upgrade is reviewed, approved, and documented before any technical actions are taken, reducing the risk of unplanned outages and providing a rollback plan. Skipping this step violates ITIL/change management frameworks and can lead to unauthorized changes that impact network stability.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Download the new firmware
Why it's wrong here
Downloading firmware should only occur after the change is approved.
Create a backup of the current configuration
Why it's wrong here
Backups are important but should be done after the change request is approved.
Submit a change request
Why this is correct
The first step is to submit a change request for approval.
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.
Schedule a maintenance window
Why it's wrong here
Scheduling a maintenance window comes after the change request is approved.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse operational best practices with technical steps, assuming that backing up the configuration (option B) is always the first action, but change management mandates that formal authorization precedes any technical work, even backups, to ensure proper governance and audit trails.
Detailed technical explanation
Change management in network operations follows a defined lifecycle: request, review, approve, plan, implement, verify, and close. The change request typically includes a risk assessment, rollback plan, and impact analysis, often documented in a system like ServiceNow or Jira. In enterprise environments, firmware upgrades on core switches (e.g., Cisco Catalyst 9000 series) require careful validation of compatibility with existing configurations and features like StackWise Virtual or VPC, making the approval step essential to avoid catastrophic failures.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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
Network Operations — This question tests Network Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Submit a change request — According to change management best practices, the first step in any network change is to submit a change request (option C). This ensures the proposed firmware upgrade is reviewed, approved, and documented before any technical actions are taken, reducing the risk of unplanned outages and providing a rollback plan. Skipping this step violates ITIL/change management frameworks and can lead to unauthorized changes that impact network stability.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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