N10-009 Question 291
Single answerEstablish a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify potential effectsA network administrator has confirmed that users in a remote branch office are intermittently losing access to cloud applications. Troubleshooting shows the issue started immediately after a WAN edge router firmware upgrade performed the night before. Packet loss increases during peak business hours, but the branch still has limited connectivity. The administrator has identified the upgrade as the likely cause and must establish a plan of action to resolve the problem while minimizing business impact. Which action should the administrator take FIRST?
- A
Immediately roll back the router firmware during business hours without notifying users, because restoring the previous version is the fastest fix
- B
Create a change plan that includes scheduling a maintenance window, backing up the current configuration, defining rollback steps, and notifying stakeholders about expected impact
- C
Replace the WAN router with a different model, since intermittent packet loss after an upgrade indicates hardware incompatibility
- D
Increase the branch internet bandwidth to compensate for packet loss during peak hours until a permanent fix can be found
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is to create a structured change plan before taking corrective action. In the Network+ troubleshooting methodology, after identifying the probable cause, the next step is to establish a plan of action and identify potential effects. In real environments, this includes evaluating downtime risk, preparing backups, defining rollback procedures, obtaining approval if required, and communicating expected impact to stakeholders. These practices are consistent with standard IT operational guidance and change-management best practices used across enterprise networks. The key point is that technical resolution must be balanced with business continuity and risk reduction, especially when the branch still has partial connectivity and the issue can be addressed in a controlled maintenance window.
- A. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because even if a rollback may ultimately be necessary, performing it immediately during business hours without communication or preparation creates unnecessary risk. A proper plan of action should account for potential effects, such as downtime, configuration loss, or failure of the rollback. Network+ troubleshooting methodology emphasizes planning and considering business impact before making changes.
- B. Correct.
This is correct because once the probable cause has been identified, the next step is to establish a plan of action and identify potential effects. In this scenario, that means preparing for the change in a controlled way: scheduling a maintenance window, backing up the configuration, documenting rollback procedures, and notifying affected users or stakeholders. These actions align with standard change-management and troubleshooting best practices designed to minimize service disruption.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because the scenario does not provide evidence that the router hardware itself is faulty or incompatible. The issue began right after a firmware upgrade, making configuration or firmware regression far more likely than a sudden hardware-platform mismatch. Replacing hardware is a costly and disruptive response that skips the planning and validation expected in a proper remediation process.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because bandwidth increases do not resolve packet loss caused by a faulty firmware upgrade. This option reflects a common misconception that performance symptoms should be treated as capacity problems without verifying root cause. It also fails to address the requirement to establish a plan of action for the identified issue.