CompTIA Network+ Practice Test (N10-009)

A load balancer should be implemented to distribute incoming network traffic across several servers to ensure that no single server bears too much demand. By spreading the load, it enhances the responsiveness and availability of applications or websites. A fault tolerance system is more about maintaining system reliability in case of a component failure, not primarily about distributing workload. Firewalls and VPN concentrators focus more on security and would not assist in distributing traffic load as required in the given scenario.

The correct answer is that a honeypot is designed to attract attacks in order to study the attacker's behavior or to distract them from more valuable targets. By understanding attacker methods, the security team can better defend their actual network resources. The other options, while plausible, do not correctly describe the main purpose of honeypots. Redirecting traffic to optimize bandwidth and securing endpoints are not purposes of a honeypot, and testing network performance under load is more related to stress testing or performance benchmarking rather than security.

A rack diagram is used primarily to detail the physical arrangement of hardware equipment within a server rack. This includes servers, routers, switches, and other network devices, providing a clear visual reference of how equipment is installed, and its exact location in the rack. This aids in troubleshooting, maintenance, and upgrading network components by offering a precise, easy-to-understand layout. Other options, while related to network operation, do not accurately describe the direct application of a rack diagram.

The primary purpose of availability monitoring is to continuously check the uptime and readiness of network services and resources to minimize downtime and ensure reliable access. It is crucial for maintaining service quality as per the agreements and managing business operations effectively. Incorrect answers like 'Encrypting network traffic' and 'Expanding network capacity' might relate indirectly to broader network management but not specifically to monitoring availability.

Using a content delivery network (CDN) optimizes the delivery of web content and media by caching the content in multiple proxy servers located close to end-users. This reduces the load on the origin server, decreases latency, and improves the user experience by ensuring that users receive data from the geographically nearest node. Server clustering mainly enhances load balancing within data centers and does not necessarily optimize global content delivery. Data compression can reduce the size of the transferred data, but it alone does not address issues such as latency for geographically distributed users. Increased bandwidth merely expands the data transmission capability and may still result in delays if data must travel large distances.

WPA3 is the recommended protocol and standard as it provides advanced security measures, including individualized data encryption and improved protection against brute-force attacks, which are crucial for protecting modern wireless networks.

A Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) allows for subnets of varying sizes to be created from the same network address, offering more flexibility and efficient use of IP address space. This reduces wastage of IP addresses, which is crucial for large networks. Answer B is correct because it reflects the capacity of VLSM to adapt the subnet mask to fit the size of the network, a feature not offered by fixed-length subnet masks. Answer A is incorrect because VLSM does not target security improvements directly—security is managed through other means. Answer C is incorrect as increasing transmission speed is related to network bandwidth and hardware capabilities, not subnetting. Answer D incorrectly associates VLSM with reducing the number of routers, which relates more to network topology and design considerations.

SNMP v2c is chosen over other versions primarily for its community string-based security, which, despite being less secure than SNMP v3, offers a simpler configuration process with improved performance over SNMP v1. SNMP v1, while the earliest version, offers lower performance and lacks important bulk retrieval options. SNMP v3 provides stronger security through encryption and authentication methods, but can be complex to configure and manage, leading to its less frequent selection in environments where sophisticated security layers are not a primary requirement.

An asset inventory explicitly lists all the hardware within an organization, including details about warranty support, which is crucial for understanding which devices are currently under warranty before planning hardware updates. Hence, it facilitates informed decisions about upgrades or replacements if warranty support is nearing an end. Physical and logical diagrams, though useful for understanding network connectivity and layout, do not typically include warranty information. IPAM tools are primarily used for managing IP addresses and do not include hardware warranty details.

Configuring URL filtering rules on the network firewall to block access to websites categorized under gambling is the most efficient way to ensure such sites are inaccessible during corporate usage. URL filters operate by identifying sites based on pre-determined categories and user-defined lists, and then blocking any requests to them as specified by the policy. Updating firewall firmware and enforcing NAC are useful security practices but do not directly impact web usage policies. Disallowing mobile devices might reduce risk exposure, but it doesn't specifically target gambling sites and would not be effective if the devices access gambling content through other networks.

The correct answer involves listing all key elements that should be a part of the documentation after troubleshooting a network issue. This includes the problem description to understand the particular issue, the actions taken which detail the steps carried out to resolve the issue, the outcome which discusses the result of those actions, and the lessons learned to assist in future troubleshooting. Documenting these aspects ensures a comprehensive and useful record of the issue and its resolution.

Using hash functions is the best measure to support integrity as they generate a fixed-size string (hash) based on the data input. If even a single bit of the data changes, the resulting hash will change significantly. This allows any alterations in data to be easily detected, thus maintaining integrity. Encrypting data, while crucial for confidentiality, does not primarily ensure integrity as it does not necessarily reveal data modifications. Enforcing strong authentication measures mainly enhances security by verifying user identity, addressing access control more squarely than data integrity itself.

In situations where a server that provides name lookups is set to pass queries to other name servers, issues can arise if it cannot reach these external servers due to incorrect network configurations, such as improperly set firewall rules. These servers attempt to obtain name resolution from up-chain servers, and if isolated by network barriers, clients will experience domain lookup failures. Incorrect answers include: Disabling cache impacts performance by not storing lookup results, but doesn't inherently prevent lookups; issues caused by a rogue configuration protocol server affect network addressing, not name querying directly; enabling security extensions secures query responses and does not generally block outgoing queries unless misconfigured.

IIoT is specifically tailored for industrial environments where machinery and processes are managed and automated digitally, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and safety. IoT, while broadly similar in connecting devices over the internet, is generally used in a wider variety of less specialized environments including homes and offices. This distinction is essential for understanding different security needs.

The correct answer is 'It helps identify unauthorized changes and ensures that the network configuration adheres to defined compliance standards during upgrades.' Configuration drift practices are crucial in identifying any deviations from the desired network state defined in the scripts or templates. By detecting these deviations early, network administrators are able to correct them before they become broader issues, maintaining compliance and ensuring that upgrades do not introduce or perpetuate unauthorized changes. Other options, though plausible, do not centrally focus on the impact of configuration drift detection in the context of upgrades.