A server administrator is preparing to apply a critical firmware update to a RAID controller in a production database server. The update addresses a recently disclosed security vulnerability. Which of the following actions is the most crucial to perform before initiating the update to mitigate the risk of data loss?
Download the firmware update package and review the associated release notes.
Perform and verify a full backup of the database and operating system.
Ensure the server's out-of-band management interface is accessible for remote recovery.
Schedule the maintenance for a period of low server utilization.
The correct answer is to perform and verify a full backup. Flashing firmware on any component, especially a critical one like a RAID controller, carries an inherent risk of failure which can lead to data corruption or complete data loss. A verified backup is the only way to ensure data can be restored if the update fails catastrophically. While the other options are valid and important steps in a comprehensive maintenance plan, they do not directly protect against data loss. Scheduling a maintenance window minimizes business impact, not data loss. Reviewing release notes is essential for preparation but does not prevent a failed flash. Ensuring out-of-band access helps in remote recovery of the system, but it cannot recover lost data.
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