CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

After systems became unresponsive post-update installation, which strategy is best to ensure systems are updated with minimal downtime?

1. Installing updates on all systems immediately

2. Using a distributed patch management system with prior testing

3. Updating one system at a time sequentially

4. Deploying updates on all systems that have been previously patched

The correct answer is: Using a distributed patch management system with prior testing

Utilizing a distributed patch management system with prior testing is the best strategy to ensure systems are updated with minimal downtime after encountering issues post-update installation. This approach allows for updates to be tested in a controlled environment before deployment across all systems. By doing so, you can identify any potential complications that may arise from the updates, ensuring that they do not result in widespread unresponsiveness across the fleet of systems. A distributed patch management system enables centralized control of updates, allowing for staggered deployments where updates can be rolled out to select groups of systems first. This minimizes the risk of having all systems go down at once, as issues can be rapidly identified and mitigated on smaller groups before a full-scale rollout occurs. Prior testing is critical; it allows organizations to assess the compatibility of updates with existing applications and hardware configurations, preventing future downtime. In situations where an update does cause issues, having a rollback plan becomes easier and less disruptive, as only a portion of the systems would be affected rather than the entire network. This strategy ultimately facilitates a balance between keeping systems secure and operational, aligning with best practices in IT management.