N10-009 Network Operations Practice Question
A network administrator needs to upgrade the firmware on a core switch. According to change management best practices, which step should be performed first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates 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.
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
✓
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
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 the new firmware is a preparatory action for the actual upgrade, but it should not precede the formal approval of the change request. Acquiring the firmware before approval is inefficient and potentially risky, as the approved version or even the decision to proceed might change. This step is appropriately performed once the change is authorized, ensuring the correct, approved version is obtained and ready for deployment during the designated maintenance window.
When this WOULD be correct
A network administrator has already received approval for a firmware upgrade and is now executing the plan. The question asks: 'After the change request is approved, what is the next step?' In that context, downloading the new firmware would be the correct first technical action.
- ✗
Create a backup of the current configuration
Why it's wrong here
Creating a backup of the current configuration is a crucial step in any network change, providing a rollback point in case of issues. However, this action is typically performed *after* the change request has been formally approved and *prior* to the actual firmware upgrade. Executing a backup before approval would be premature, as the change itself might not proceed, making the backup an unnecessary use of resources at that specific stage.
- ✓
Submit a change request
Why this is correct
Submitting a change request is the foundational first step in any structured change management process for critical infrastructure like a core switch. This formal submission outlines the proposed change, its justification, potential impact, and required resources, allowing stakeholders to review and approve it. This ensures that all modifications are properly vetted, documented, and authorized, minimizing risks to network stability and service continuity before any physical or logical action is taken.
- ✗
Schedule a maintenance window
Why it's wrong here
Scheduling a maintenance window is an operational planning step that designates a specific time for the change to occur, minimizing disruption to users. While essential for executing a firmware upgrade, this action can only be finalized and communicated *after* the change request has been formally approved. Attempting to schedule a window without prior approval is premature, as the change might not be authorized, leading to wasted coordination efforts and potential confusion.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked 'After the change request is approved, which step should be performed next?' then scheduling a maintenance window would be correct to minimize disruption.
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.
✓Submit a change requestCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Submitting a change request is the foundational first step in any structured change management process for critical infrastructure like a core switch. This formal submission outlines the proposed change, its justification, potential impact, and required resources, allowing stakeholders to review and approve it. This ensures that all modifications are properly vetted, documented, and authorized, minimizing risks to network stability and service continuity before any physical or logical action is taken.
✗Download the new firmwareWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
In change management best practices, the first step is always to submit a change request for approval before any technical actions like downloading firmware. Downloading firmware without authorization violates the change control process.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A network administrator has already received approval for a firmware upgrade and is now executing the plan. The question asks: 'After the change request is approved, what is the next step?' In that context, downloading the new firmware would be the correct first technical action.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often focus on the technical task of obtaining the firmware and overlook the procedural requirement to get formal approval first, especially when the question emphasizes 'upgrade the firmware' rather than 'change management process'.
✗Schedule a maintenance windowWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Scheduling a maintenance window is a later step in the change management process; the first step must be submitting a change request to obtain approval before any actions are taken.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked 'After the change request is approved, which step should be performed next?' then scheduling a maintenance window would be correct to minimize disruption.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often think of the operational need to schedule downtime first, but they overlook that formal approval via a change request is required before any scheduling can occur.
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
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
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.
About these practice questions
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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.