ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
An IT team monitors server CPU usage and receives an alert that usage has exceeded 90%. According to ITIL 4, what type of event is this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse a warning event with an incident, failing to recognize that ITIL 4 distinguishes between a potential issue (warning) and an actual service disruption (incident).
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 event
In ITIL 4, a warning event occurs when a threshold is reached that indicates a potential future issue, such as server CPU usage exceeding 90%. This alert signals that the service is still operational but may degrade if the trend continues, prompting proactive monitoring or escalation.
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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Warning event
Why this is correct
A warning event, as defined by ITIL 4, indicates that a predefined threshold has been met or exceeded, signaling a potential degradation of service or an impending incident. In this scenario, high server CPU usage reaching a critical level triggers such an event, prompting IT staff to investigate and take proactive measures. The primary objective of a warning event is to enable intervention before the situation escalates into an actual service disruption, thereby maintaining service quality and availability.
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Incident
Why it's wrong here
An incident represents an unplanned interruption to a service or a reduction in the quality of a service, requiring immediate action to restore normal operations. The alert about high CPU usage is a precursor, indicating a *risk* of service interruption, not an actual interruption itself. Therefore, while unaddressed high CPU usage might lead to an incident, the alert itself is a warning about a potential problem, not a current service disruption.
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Informational event
Why it's wrong here
An informational event is a routine notification that does not typically require immediate action or intervention, serving primarily to confirm the status of an IT component or process. Examples include successful backup completions or system reboots, which are part of normal operations. The server CPU usage alert, however, clearly signals a potential problem that demands attention and possible intervention to prevent service degradation, distinguishing it from a mere informational update.
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Exception event
Why it's wrong here
An exception event denotes a critical state where a service is already significantly degraded, unavailable, or has failed to meet its agreed-upon performance levels. This type of event indicates that the impact on users or business operations is already occurring, requiring urgent resolution. The CPU usage alert, while serious, is a *warning* that such an exception *might* occur, providing an opportunity for proactive resolution before service is actually compromised and service delivery is impacted.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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