ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
An event indicating that a server's CPU usage has exceeded 90% for 5 minutes 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
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Warning
An event that signals a potential service degradation is a warning event.
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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Exception
Why it's wrong here
An exception event in ITIL 4 signifies that a service or component has already failed or is operating outside acceptable parameters to the point of causing an immediate negative impact. While high CPU usage is problematic, exceeding 90% is typically a strong indicator of impending performance degradation or failure, but not yet a definitive failure state that would halt operations. It's a critical symptom that requires intervention to prevent an exception, rather than an exception itself.
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Critical
Why it's wrong here
The term "Critical" is not one of the standard event categories defined within ITIL 4 for classifying the nature of an event. ITIL 4 primarily categorizes events as informational, warning, or exception based on what they signify about the state of a service or component. While an event *could* have a critical impact, "Critical" itself is not a classification of the event type, making it an incorrect choice for describing the event's inherent nature.
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Informational
Why it's wrong here
Informational events are typically routine occurrences that do not require immediate action, such as a successful system login or a scheduled backup completion. A server's CPU usage consistently exceeding 90% is far from routine; it indicates a significant deviation from normal operating conditions and demands prompt attention to prevent service degradation or failure. Therefore, classifying this as informational would dangerously downplay its potential impact.
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Warning
Why this is correct
A warning event in ITIL 4 signifies that a service, component, or configuration is operating outside its normal parameters and indicates a potential future issue or degradation. A server's CPU usage exceeding 90% is a clear precursor to performance problems or an eventual system failure (an exception) if left unaddressed. This event provides an opportunity for proactive intervention to prevent a more severe incident, perfectly aligning with the definition of a warning.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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