CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202)Operational ProceduresEasy
A network administrator wants to upgrade the firmware on a critical firewall during business hours. According to standard change management practices, which of the following should occur BEFORE the change is implemented?
- AThe change should be approved by the change advisory board (CAB)
- BThe technician should proceed immediately since firmware updates are considered low risk
- CThe vendor should be notified only after the update finishes
- DThe change should be documented after it has been completed
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. The change should be approved by the change advisory board (CAB)
Formal change management requires review and approval by a change advisory board (or designated authority) before implementation to assess risk, scheduling, and impact. Documenting after the fact or acting without approval bypasses the control process meant to prevent outages.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Skipping approval defeats the purpose of change management, regardless of perceived risk.
- C. Vendor notification timing is not the key control point in change management.
- D. Documentation should occur throughout the process, not only afterward.
Change Advisory Board (CAB) Approval
A formal review process where proposed changes are evaluated and approved before implementation to reduce risk to production systems.
- Change requests must be submitted before work begins
- CAB reviews risk, scope, and scheduling
- Approval reduces unplanned outages and conflicts
Memory trick: Ask before you act — approval comes first.