ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
An IT team is investigating a recurring network outage. They have identified the root cause as a faulty router configuration. In which phase of Problem Management are they operating?
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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Problem Control
Problem Control is the phase where root cause analysis is performed and the root cause is identified. Problem Identification is the first phase (detecting problems), and Error Control is the phase where known errors are managed and workarounds are created.
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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Error Control
Why it's wrong here
Error Control is the stage within Problem Management that focuses on managing known errors, which are problems whose root cause has already been identified. Since the IT team is still actively investigating to determine the root cause of the recurring outage, they are not yet at the stage of managing an already identified error. This phase involves documenting workarounds and ensuring permanent solutions are implemented to eliminate the known error.
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Problem Identification
Why it's wrong here
Problem Identification is the initial phase of Problem Management where potential problems are recognized, often through analyzing recurring incidents or significant single incidents. While the team has likely already identified that a recurring outage is a 'problem,' the question specifically states they are 'investigating' to understand *why* it's happening. This investigation goes beyond merely recognizing the existence of a problem.
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Incident Management
Why it's wrong here
Incident Management is primarily concerned with restoring normal service operation as quickly as possible following an unplanned interruption or reduction in service quality. Its focus is on immediate resolution and minimizing business impact, often through temporary workarounds, rather than conducting deep root cause analysis. The team's activity of investigating the underlying cause of a recurring outage extends beyond the scope of typical incident resolution.
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Problem Control
Why this is correct
Problem Control is the phase of Problem Management dedicated to understanding the root cause of problems and developing workarounds. The IT team's activity of 'investigating a recurring network outage' directly aligns with the objectives of Problem Control, which involves detailed analysis to diagnose the underlying cause. This phase aims to identify the true reason for service disruptions, enabling effective resolution and preventing future recurrences.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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