ITIL4F Key Concepts of ITIL 4 Practice Question
According to ITIL 4, which of the following is an example of a cost removed from the service consumer by using a service?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse 'cost removed' with 'cost incurred' or 'risk removed', often selecting the subscription fee (Option C) because it is a visible cost, but ITIL 4 explicitly defines cost removed as what the consumer avoids, not what they pay.
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 cost of purchasing and maintaining servers for the service
ITIL 4 defines 'cost removed' as the expenses the service consumer avoids by using the service, such as not having to purchase, maintain, or operate their own servers. By leveraging the service provider's infrastructure, the consumer eliminates capital and operational costs associated with hardware ownership.
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 cost of purchasing and maintaining servers for the service
Why this is correct
When a consumer utilizes an external service, the direct financial burden associated with the underlying infrastructure, such as purchasing, maintaining, powering, and housing servers, is typically absorbed by the service provider. This represents a cost that is effectively transferred from the consumer, who would otherwise incur these expenditures directly, to the provider. The consumer pays for the utility and warranty of the service, not the individual components, thereby offloading the operational and capital costs of infrastructure management.
- ✗
The consumer's internal staff time to manage the service
Why it's wrong here
The time and effort expended by a consumer's internal staff to manage an external service, including activities like vendor relationship management, service integration, internal user support, and compliance oversight, constitute a cost that remains with the consumer. These are essential internal overheads for effectively leveraging the service within their organizational context. Such costs are not transferred to the service provider but are an inherent part of the consumer's total cost of ownership for the service.
- ✗
The subscription fee paid to the service provider
Why it's wrong here
The subscription fee represents the direct financial payment made by the consumer to the service provider for the provision and consumption of the service. While this fee covers the provider's operational costs, including those they have absorbed from the consumer, the subscription itself is a direct monetary cost imposed upon the consumer. It is the price paid for the value received, rather than a cost that was previously the consumer's direct responsibility and is now managed by the provider.
- ✗
The risk of data loss due to a provider outage
Why it's wrong here
According to ITIL 4, a risk is defined as an uncertainty of outcome, which can manifest as potential threats or opportunities. The risk of data loss due to a service provider outage is an exposure to a potential negative event, not a direct financial expenditure or cost in itself. While such a risk, if realized, could lead to significant financial costs for recovery, regulatory fines, or reputational damage, the inherent uncertainty of the event is fundamentally distinct from a quantifiable cost.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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