ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
Which of the following is an example of an 'exception' event as defined in Monitoring and Event Management?
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
✓
A server's CPU usage exceeds 95% and requires immediate attention
Exception events indicate that something is outside normal operation and requires immediate action. Option B, where server CPU usage exceeds 95% and requires immediate attention, is an example of an exception event. Option A (disk nearing capacity) is typically a warning. Option C (user login) is informational. Option D (backup completion) is informational.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A disk is nearing capacity
Why it's wrong here
A disk nearing capacity is classified as a warning event because it indicates a potential future issue rather than an immediate failure. While it signals a deviation from optimal conditions, it provides an opportunity for proactive intervention, such as archiving or adding storage, before service is critically impacted. This allows for planned action, distinguishing it from an urgent exception that demands immediate resolution.
- ✓
A server's CPU usage exceeds 95% and requires immediate attention
Why this is correct
A server's CPU usage exceeding 95% and requiring immediate attention is a clear example of an exception event. This critical threshold signifies an abnormal and potentially service-impacting situation that demands urgent, often reactive, intervention to prevent performance degradation or system failure. It represents a severe deviation from expected operational norms that cannot be ignored without significant consequences for service delivery.
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A user logs into the system
Why it's wrong here
A user logging into the system constitutes an informational event, as it is a routine and expected activity within normal operational parameters. This type of event provides valuable data for auditing, security monitoring, and usage trend analysis, but it does not indicate a problem or require any immediate operational response. It simply records a standard, non-disruptive system interaction.
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A backup job completes successfully
Why it's wrong here
The successful completion of a backup job is categorized as an informational event because it represents a planned and expected outcome of a routine operational process. This event confirms that a scheduled task executed without errors, providing essential verification for compliance and data integrity records. It does not signify any deviation from normal operations or necessitate corrective action, merely confirming a desired state.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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