ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
A monitoring tool detects that a server's CPU usage has exceeded 90% for 10 minutes. According to ITIL 4, this event is classified as which type?
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
✓
Warning
According to ITIL 4, events are classified as informational, warning, or exception. A warning event indicates that a threshold, such as CPU usage over 90%, has been exceeded and may require action. Therefore, Option D is correct. Option A (Exception) refers to events that indicate a failure or significant deviation, not just a threshold breach. Option B (Critical) is not a standard ITIL event classification. Option C (Informational) describes routine events that do not require action.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Exception
Why it's wrong here
An exception event signifies that a service component has already failed, is severely degraded, or is operating outside acceptable parameters, directly impacting service delivery. While high CPU usage is a concern, it typically precedes a full exception, acting as a precursor rather than the exception itself, which would manifest as a service outage or critical performance failure. Therefore, simply exceeding a CPU threshold does not yet constitute an exception event.
- ✗
Critical
Why it's wrong here
The ITIL 4 framework for event classification primarily utilizes three distinct categories: informational, warning, and exception. The term 'critical' is not a standard, distinct event type within this ITIL model, although an exception event might be considered critical in its impact. Relying on non-standard classifications can lead to inconsistencies in event management processes and response prioritization, making it an unsuitable classification within ITIL's defined structure.
- ✗
Informational
Why it's wrong here
Informational events are routine, non-threatening occurrences that simply confirm the normal operation or status of a service component, requiring no immediate action. A server's CPU usage exceeding an established threshold is not a routine or expected event; instead, it signals a potential deviation from normal performance that warrants attention, distinguishing it from benign informational logs such as a successful backup completion.
- ✓
Warning
Why this is correct
A warning event is specifically designed to indicate that a predefined threshold has been breached, signaling a potential issue that requires attention before it escalates into a service degradation or failure. Detecting high CPU usage falls precisely into this category, as it provides an early alert, enabling proactive intervention to prevent a more severe incident. This allows operations teams to investigate and mitigate the cause before an actual service impact occurs, aligning with proactive service management principles.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every ITIL4F question from scratch — 531 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.