A SOC analyst wants to make sure logs from multiple servers can be compared accurately during an incident review. What should be configured on those systems?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Distractor review
A local administrator account with the same password on every server
Shared administrator passwords do not improve log comparison and create a serious security risk.
Best answer
Time synchronization using the same trusted time source
Consistent timestamps are essential for correlating events from different systems during investigation.
Distractor review
A larger disk size on the log server
More storage may help retention, but it does not solve timestamp alignment between systems.
Distractor review
A separate VLAN for each application server
Network segmentation may improve security, but it does not ensure logs share matching times.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
- Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
- Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
- Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
- Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
- Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
- Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Time synchronization using the same trusted time source — Time synchronization with a trusted source, such as a time server, is the key control for accurate log correlation. When devices record events with different clocks, the sequence of actions can appear misleading or out of order. During an incident review, analysts need to line up authentication events, endpoint alerts, firewall logs, and server logs to understand what happened. Reliable timekeeping makes that correlation possible and improves the quality of the investigation. Why others are wrong: A shared admin password is a dangerous practice and has no value for log analysis. Extra disk space may help retention but does not fix mismatched timestamps. VLAN segmentation is useful for limiting traffic, but it does not address the problem of inconsistent event times across systems.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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