ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
A change request to replace a server is categorized as a 'standard change'. What does this mean?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The change is low-risk and follows a predefined, approved procedure
A standard change in ITIL is a pre-approved, low-risk change that follows a predefined procedure. Therefore, option D is correct. Option A is incorrect because even standard changes require documentation; they are pre-approved but still require recording. Option B is incorrect because standard changes do not require CAB authorization; they are pre-authorized. Option C describes an emergency change, which is implemented urgently due to incidents.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The change does not require any documentation or assessment
Why it's wrong here
This statement is incorrect because, while standard changes are pre-authorized, they absolutely require documentation. The documentation outlines the predefined procedure, scope, and expected outcomes, ensuring consistency, repeatability, and auditability for every instance. Furthermore, standard changes undergo an initial, thorough assessment and authorization when they are first established as a standard, which ensures their low-risk nature and suitability for a streamlined process.
- ✗
The change requires authorization from the Change Advisory Board (CAB)
Why it's wrong here
This option is incorrect because standard changes are characterized by being pre-authorized. They have already undergone a full assessment and approval process when they were initially defined as a standard change, meaning they do not require individual authorization from the Change Authority or the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for each instance. This pre-approval allows for efficient and rapid implementation of routine, low-risk activities without additional bureaucratic overhead.
- ✗
The change must be implemented as soon as possible due to a critical incident
Why it's wrong here
This description aligns with an emergency change, not a standard change. Emergency changes are implemented with extreme urgency to resolve critical incidents, restore services, or implement vital security patches, often bypassing normal change procedures due to the immediate and severe impact on services. A standard change, while efficient and predefined, is not driven by an immediate critical incident but by a planned, routine activity following an established procedure.
- ✓
The change is low-risk and follows a predefined, approved procedure
Why this is correct
This statement accurately defines a standard change within the ITIL framework. Standard changes are typically low-risk, frequently occurring activities that follow a well-documented, predefined, and pre-approved procedure. Their pre-authorization means they do not require additional assessment or approval each time they are implemented, allowing for efficient and consistent execution while minimizing potential disruption to services.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ITIL4F practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ITIL4F exam.