ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
During a major incident, a workaround is implemented to restore service. Later, the service desk continues to use the workaround to help users. According to ITIL 4, where should this workaround be documented?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse the KEDB with the CMS or assume a workaround belongs only in the incident record, but ITIL 4 explicitly requires workarounds to be stored in known error records for reuse and problem resolution.
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
✓
In a known error record in the KEDB
According to ITIL 4, a workaround that is used repeatedly after a major incident should be documented in a known error record within the Known Error Database (KEDB). This ensures that the workaround is formally captured, linked to the underlying problem, and available for future incidents, rather than being lost in a single incident record or change request.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
In a change request
Why it's wrong here
A change request is a formal proposal to add, modify, or remove anything that could have a direct or indirect effect on services. Implementing a workaround, while critical for service restoration, is a temporary mitigation strategy to reduce incident impact, not a formal modification to a service or configuration item. Therefore, documenting a workaround solely as a change request would misrepresent its purpose and bypass the appropriate knowledge management process for reusable solutions.
- ✓
In a known error record in the KEDB
Why this is correct
A known error is a problem that has been analyzed and for which a workaround or a permanent solution has been identified. The Known Error Database (KEDB) is the designated repository for these known errors, specifically including their associated workarounds. Documenting the workaround here ensures it is readily available for future incidents related to the same underlying problem, facilitating faster resolution and informing proactive problem management efforts.
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In the configuration management system (CMS)
Why it's wrong here
The Configuration Management System (CMS) is designed to store information about Configuration Items (CIs) and their relationships, supporting service asset and configuration management. While a workaround might apply to a specific CI, the workaround itself is a procedural or temporary solution to a defect or problem, not a structural attribute or component of the IT infrastructure. Storing workarounds in the CMS would dilute its purpose and make them difficult to retrieve for operational use.
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In the incident record only
Why it's wrong here
An incident record documents a single, unplanned interruption to a service or reduction in quality, including the steps taken to restore service. However, once an incident is resolved and closed, its record becomes historical. Documenting a valuable workaround only within a specific incident record means its reusability and visibility for future incidents or problem analysis are severely limited, hindering efficient knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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