Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation Practice Exam

Which process assesses the impact of changes on the IT infrastructure and services?

1. Change Management

2. Problem Management

3. Configuration Management

4. Release Management

The correct answer is: Change Management

Change Management is the process that specifically focuses on assessing the impact of changes on the IT infrastructure and services. Its primary goal is to ensure that changes are implemented with minimal disruption to the IT services while maximizing the benefits of those changes. This process involves evaluating requests for change (RFCs) to determine the potential repercussions and risks associated with the change. By assessing the impact, Change Management helps avoid unnecessary outages or service disruptions by ensuring that all necessary considerations are taken into account before a change is approved. In contrast, Problem Management deals with identifying and managing the root causes of incidents to minimize their impact, focusing on long-term resolutions rather than individual changes. Configuration Management maintains the information about the configuration items (CIs) in the IT infrastructure, providing a clear overview of what exists but does not assess the impact of changes directly. Release Management focuses more on planning and controlling the movement of releases to test and live environments but does not assess the impact of changes themselves in the context of approved modifications. Therefore, the emphasis on evaluating risks, benefits, and impacts related specifically to changes instituted within the IT infrastructure categorizes Change Management as the correct answer.