A network administrator is preparing to apply a major firmware update to enterprise distribution switches following a vendor security advisory. Which TWO of the following actions should the administrator perform during the pre-deployment and staging phase to verify software integrity and minimize operational risk?
- Verify the cryptographic hash of the downloaded firmware file against the vendor's published digest.Answer
- Test the firmware update in an isolated lab environment that mirrors the production device configuration.Answer
- CApply the update directly to active core switches during peak hours to evaluate performance under heavy live traffic.
- DPerform a complete rollback restore using only an incremental backup without validating the baseline system image.
Answer
The administrator should verify the cryptographic hash of the downloaded firmware file against the published digest and test the firmware update in an isolated lab environment mirroring production.
Verifying the cryptographic hash ensures file integrity and authenticity before deployment, while testing the patch in an isolated lab sandbox ensures that unexpected bugs or configuration incompatibilities are identified prior to affecting live production network services.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Patch Verification and Staging Practices
Estimated Time:1m 30s