CompTIA CompTIA Network+ N10-008 New Questions

One possible reason why users are unable to reach the site after the security team updated the web server to require https:// in the URL is that the firewall rules are blocking the traffic to port 443. Port 443 is the default port for HTTPS, which is the protocol that encrypts and secures the web communication.  If the firewall rules do not allow inbound traffic to port 443, then users will not be able to access the web server using HTTPS12.

To troubleshoot this issue, the security team should configure inbound firewall rules to allow traffic to port 443. This can be done by using the firewall-cmd command on RHEL 8.2, which is a tool that manages firewalld, the default firewall service on RHEL. The command to add a rule to allow traffic to port 443 is:

firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=443/tcp

The --permanent option makes the rule persistent across reboots, and the --add-port option specifies the port number and protocol (TCP) to allow. After adding the rule, the security team should reload the firewalld service to apply the changes:

firewall-cmd --reload

The security team can verify that the rule is active by using this command:

firewall-cmd --list-ports

The output should show 443/tcp among the ports that are allowed34.

The other options are not relevant to troubleshooting this issue. Configuring the switch port with the correct VLAN may help with network segmentation or isolation, but it will not affect the HTTPS protocol or port. Configuring the router to include the subnet of the server may help with network routing or connectivity, but it will not enable HTTPS communication. Configuring the server with a default route may help with network access or reachability, but it will not allow HTTPS traffic.

East-west data traffic in a data center refers to the traffic that flows laterally within the data center, typically between servers within the same data center. This type of traffic usually flows between top-of-rack (ToR) switches, which connect multiple servers or devices in the same rack to each other or to other racks without necessarily routing through the core or distribution layers of the network architecture. This is opposed to north-south traffic, which typically flows in and out of the data center to the wider network or internet. Therefore, the correct answer is "top-of-rack switches"​​.

Spanning tree is a protocol that prevents network loops by dynamically disabling or enabling switch ports based on the network topology. Network loops can cause intermittent connectivity issues, such as broadcast storms, MAC address table instability, and multiple frame transmission. By enabling spanning tree, the network administrator can ensure that there is only one active path between any two network devices at any given time.

References:

• CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Certification Exam Objectives, page 91
• CompTIA Network+ Cert Guide: Switching and Virtual LANs, page 172

• An incorrect subnet mask can cause a host to be unable to communicate with other devices on the same network or on different networks.
• A subnet mask defines the range of IP addresses that belong to a network segment. It also determines the network ID and the host ID of an IP address.
• If a host has a subnet mask that does not match the subnet mask of the router or the file server, it will not be able to determine the correct destination for its packets.
• For example, if the router and the file server have a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, and the host has a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0, the host will think that the router and the file server are on the same network as itself, and will try to send packets directly to them without using the router as a gateway. However, the router and the file server will not recognize the host as a valid source, and will drop the packets or send back an ICMP destination unreachable message.
• To fix this issue, the host needs to have the same subnet mask as the router and the file server, or use a subnet mask that is compatible with the network topology.
• An incorrect DNS server, IP class, or TCP port would not prevent the host from pinging the router, as these are not relevant for ICMP echo requests and replies. They could affect other types of communication, such as name resolution, routing, or application layer protocols, but not the basic connectivity test of ping. References:
• Subnet Masks – CompTIA Network+ N10-008 – 1.3
• Troubleshooting IP Addressing – CompTIA Network+ N10-008 – 5.1