ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
A configuration baseline is used primarily in which practice?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the 'use' of a baseline (e.g., in Deployment Management to roll back a release) with the 'primary practice' that defines and maintains it, which is Service Configuration Management.
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
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Service Configuration Management
A configuration baseline is primarily used in Service Configuration Management because it defines a known, approved state of one or more configuration items (CIs) against which changes and deviations are measured. This practice ensures that the configuration data is accurate and that baselines are recorded in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) to support release, change, and incident management processes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Service Configuration Management
Why this is correct
Service Configuration Management is the practice responsible for ensuring that accurate and reliable information about the configuration of services and the Configuration Items (CIs) that support them is available when and where it is needed. A configuration baseline, representing an approved configuration of a service or product at a specific point in time, is a critical output and input for this practice. It provides a known, good state for recovery, change validation, and audit purposes, directly aligning with the core objectives of managing configuration information throughout its lifecycle.
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IT Asset Management
Why it's wrong here
A configuration baseline captures the approved state of a service or product at a specific point, which is managed through Service Configuration Management, not IT Asset Management. IT Asset Management focuses on the lifecycle and financial value of assets, not on defining or maintaining a baseline for service configuration. It is tempting because baselines often involve tracking specific versions of assets, but the practice’s core purpose is financial and contractual control, not configuration state management.
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Deployment Management
Why it's wrong here
Deployment Management is the practice responsible for moving new or changed hardware, software, documentation, processes, or any other component to live environments. While it may refer to an existing configuration baseline to ensure the deployed components integrate correctly with the current approved state, its primary function is the technical execution of the deployment itself, not the definition, maintenance, or storage of configuration baselines. The practice focuses on the successful transfer and activation of release components into production.
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Change Enablement
Why it's wrong here
Change Enablement is the practice of maximizing the number of successful service and product changes by ensuring risks have been properly assessed, authorizing changes, and managing a change schedule. While configuration baselines are crucial inputs for Change Enablement, providing a known state against which proposed changes can be evaluated for impact and risk, the practice itself does not create or maintain these baselines. Its core responsibility lies in the governance and coordination of changes, not the detailed management of configuration item states.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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