Question

Difficulty: MediumConfiguration and Change Management

A network engineer is drafting a formal Request for Change (RFC) to update the configuration baseline and firmware of critical core switches in a financial datacenter. Which of the following elements must be included in the RFC documentation before submitting it for Change Advisory Board (CAB) review? (Select TWO.)

  1. A detailed rollback plan specifying clear metric triggers and procedures for reverting to the previous baseline if implementation issues occurAnswer
  2. B
    Authorization to bypass pre-implementation sandbox testing to minimize service disruption during production hours
  3. A defined maintenance window detailing the exact scheduled timeframe, affected network services, and expected business impactAnswer
  4. D
    Instructions to downgrade device logging protocols to unencrypted SNMPv1 temporary credentials to accelerate post-change validation testing

Answer

The essential RFC components are a detailed rollback plan with explicit failure triggers and a defined maintenance window specifying execution timeframes and business impact.
A formal Request for Change must include both an explicit rollback plan (with actionable triggers for reverting changes) and a scheduled maintenance window (defining the operational impact and exact time bounds). These elements allow the Change Advisory Board to assess operational risk accurately and ensure business continuity.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze standard components of a Request for Change (RFC) in formal network operations.
Identified that RFCs must contain risk assessments, execution steps, rollback plans, and maintenance schedules.
CAB approval depends on comprehensive documentation that evaluates risk and limits downtime exposure.
2
Evaluate the requirement for a rollback plan.
Determined that documenting specific triggers and reversion steps ensures rapid recovery in the event of an unexpected outage during deployment.
A change cannot proceed safely without a reliable method to return to the functional baseline configuration.
3
Evaluate the requirement for maintenance window scheduling.
Determined that defining the precise timeframe and scope of impact allows the organization to coordinate around planned maintenance.
Proper scheduling prevents unannounced outages for critical business functions.

Key Concept

Request for Change (RFC) Essential Elements
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