[Apply Deployment Management Processes]
What should be done if a newly developed deployment model cannot be tested for technical
reasons?
C
Explanation:
When a newly developed deployment model cannot be tested due to technical limitations, ITIL 4
emphasizes a risk-based approach to deployment management to ensure stability and minimize
disruption. Option C, closely monitoring the first few uses of the new model, aligns with ITIL 4's
guidance to proceed cautiously when full testing is not feasible. This approach allows the
organization to deploy the model in a controlled environment, observe its performance, and quickly
address any issues, thereby reducing risk while gathering real-world data.
Option A (Only use the new model after a way to test it has been found): While testing is ideal,
delaying deployment indefinitely until a testing method is found may not be practical, especially if
business needs require timely deployment. This option is overly restrictive and does not balance risk
with operational demands.
Option B (Carry out test deployments to see if the model works correctly): Conducting test
deployments assumes testing is possible, which contradicts the question’s premise that testing
cannot be done for technical reasons. This makes the option invalid.
Option C (Closely monitor the first few uses of the new model): This is the most pragmatic approach,
as it allows deployment with safeguards like monitoring to mitigate risks, aligning with ITIL’s focus on
value delivery and risk management.
Option D (Automate the activities of the new model before it is used): Automating an untested
model could amplify risks, as automation without validation may propagate errors across
environments.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Deployment Lifecycle
Management – Monitoring and controlling deployments in untested scenarios ensures risks are
managed effectively.
[Use Tools and Techniques for Deployment]
Which automation tools should be used to transport and install configuration items into a test
environment?
A
Explanation:
In ITIL 4, deployment tools are specifically designed to automate the transportation and installation
of configuration items (CIs) into various environments, including test environments. These tools
ensure consistency, repeatability, and efficiency in deployment processes, which are critical for
managing CIs during testing phases.
Option A (Deployment tools): Correct, as deployment tools (e.g., Jenkins, Ansible, or Terraform for
certain use cases) are tailored for automating the movement and installation of CIs, ensuring they
are correctly placed in test environments with minimal manual intervention.
Option B (Environment configuration and management tools): While these tools (e.g., Puppet, Chef)
manage environment settings, their primary focus is on configuring and maintaining environments,
not transporting or installing CIs, making them less relevant here.
Option C (Work planning and prioritization tools): Tools like Jira or Trello focus on task management
and prioritization, not on automating CI deployment, so this option is incorrect.
Option D (Service configuration management tools): These tools manage relationships and data
about CIs in a configuration management database (CMDB), not the physical transport or installation
of CIs, ruling out this option.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Tools and Automation –
Deployment tools are highlighted for their role in automating CI movement across environments.
[Apply Deployment Management Processes]
What should the organization keep in mind when planning improvements to deployment models?
D
Explanation:
ITIL 4 emphasizes continual improvement in deployment management, which includes identifying
and addressing inefficiencies in deployment models to enhance performance, reliability, and value
delivery. Option D directly aligns with this principle by focusing on streamlining inefficient processes
during model updates.
Option A (The impact of deployed software should not be considered when designing these models):
Incorrect, as ITIL 4 stresses that the impact of deployments on services, users, and the organization is
a critical consideration to ensure value and minimize disruption.
Option B (User resistance to updates is not a relevant factor to consider when designing deployment
models): Incorrect, as user experience and acceptance are key factors in ITIL 4’s value co-creation
model, and resistance must be addressed to ensure successful deployments.
Option C (The same deployment approach should be used for deployments of similar size): Incorrect,
as ITIL 4 advocates for context-specific deployment models tailored to the unique needs of each
service or environment, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Option D (Deployment model updates should consider inefficient processes): Correct, as improving
deployment models involves analyzing current processes, identifying bottlenecks or waste, and
optimizing workflows to deliver greater value.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Deployment Model
Development and Improvement – Emphasis on addressing inefficiencies to enhance deployment
effectiveness.
[Engage with Stakeholders and Suppliers]
How will suppliers support the development of an organization’s deployment management practice?
A
Explanation:
Suppliers play a key role in supporting deployment management by providing expertise, tools, and
services that align with organizational needs. Option A is correct, as suppliers often advise on
selecting tools that integrate with the organization’s value streams, ensuring consistency and
scalability in deployment practices.
Option A (Advise on the selection of tools that can be used across the organization’s value streams):
Correct, as suppliers have industry knowledge and can recommend tools (e.g., CI/CD platforms) that
enhance deployment efficiency across multiple value streams, aligning with ITIL 4’s focus on value-
driven tool selection.
Option B (Define the practice success factors for deployment management): Incorrect, as defining
success factors is an internal responsibility of the organization, based on its goals and context, not a
supplier’s role.
Option C (Create deployment models based on those of other organizations): Incorrect, as
deployment models should be tailored to the organization’s unique needs, not copied from others,
per ITIL 4’s context-specific approach.
Option D (Develop value streams for the organization utilizing deployment management where
appropriate): Incorrect, as developing value streams is an internal strategic activity, while suppliers
typically provide support through tools or expertise, not by designing value streams.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Engaging with Suppliers –
Suppliers support tool selection to optimize deployment practices.
[Engage with Stakeholders and Suppliers]
Which is NOT an example of how an organization should work with suppliers to improve its
deployment management practice?
D
Explanation:
ITIL 4 encourages collaborative and flexible relationships with suppliers to enhance deployment
management, focusing on value co-creation rather than rigid controls. Option D is not aligned with
this approach, as overly detailed and rigorous procedures can hinder adaptability and innovation in
supplier relationships.
Option A (Considering dependencies on third parties when analyzing service value streams which
include deployment management): Correct practice, as understanding supplier dependencies
ensures effective integration of deployment activities into value streams.
Option B (Carefully selecting suppliers of software tools for CI/CD pipeline): Correct, as choosing
reliable suppliers for CI/CD tools is critical to building a robust deployment management practice.
Option C (Involving third parties in review and planning of the value streams that include
deployment management): Correct, as supplier involvement in planning fosters collaboration and
ensures alignment with deployment goals.
Option D (Developing and enforcing detailed and rigorous procedures for every interaction between
suppliers and the organization): Incorrect, as this approach is overly prescriptive and contradicts ITIL
4’s emphasis on flexible, value-focused supplier relationships. It risks stifling collaboration and
innovation.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Supplier Management –
Collaborative and flexible supplier relationships are prioritized over rigid procedures.
[Integrate Deployment Management with Other Practices]
A large organization wants to manage its IT services by analyzing and improving value streams. It is
unsure how to combine value streams and management practices, such as change enablement and
deployment management. What is the CORRECT approach for this organization to take?
D
Explanation:
ITIL 4 emphasizes that value streams are designed to deliver specific outcomes by integrating
relevant management practices tailored to the context of services or products. For a large
organization, creating several value streams that incorporate practices like change enablement,
deployment management, and continual improvement (Option D) is the most effective approach.
This allows flexibility to address different services or workflows while ensuring practices are
embedded where needed, aligning with ITIL 4’s value-driven and context-specific principles.
Option A (Create a separate value stream for each management practice): Incorrect, as this
fragments processes and contradicts ITIL 4’s holistic approach, where practices work together within
value streams to deliver outcomes, not in isolation.
Option B (Create one combined value stream for change enablement and deployment management):
Incorrect, as limiting to a single value stream for only two practices may not account for other
necessary practices or varying service needs, reducing flexibility.
Option C (Create a single value stream that includes change enablement, deployment management,
and other practices such as continual improvement): Incorrect, as a single value stream for all
practices may become overly complex and fail to address diverse service requirements in a large
organization.
Option D (Create several value streams that include change enablement, deployment management,
and other practices such as continual improvement): Correct, as it reflects ITIL 4’s guidance to design
multiple value streams tailored to specific services or products, integrating relevant practices to
optimize value delivery.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Value Streams and Practices –
Multiple value streams integrate practices like deployment management and change enablement to
deliver context-specific outcomes.
[Understand Roles and Responsibilities]
A fast-growing service provider is introducing separate roles of deployment manager and
deployment practitioner. Which TWO activities is a deployment manager responsible for?
Ensuring that deployment records are up-to-date and correct
Prioritizing multiple deployments that require use of the same resources
Ensuring deployment plans support other service management plans
Capturing and verifying users’ opinions on deployments
B
Explanation:
In ITIL 4, the deployment manager role focuses on strategic and coordinating activities, such as
overseeing resource allocation and aligning deployment plans with broader service management
objectives. The correct activities are:
Activity 2 (Prioritizing multiple deployments that require use of the same resources): A deployment
manager ensures efficient resource use by prioritizing conflicting deployments, a key managerial
responsibility.
Activity 3 (Ensuring deployment plans support other service management plans): The deployment
manager aligns deployment activities with other practices (e.g., change enablement, release
management) to ensure coherence across service management, another strategic task.
Activity 1 (Ensuring that deployment records are up-to-date and correct): This is typically a task for a
deployment practitioner, who handles operational details like record-keeping, not a manager’s core
responsibility.
Activity 4 (Capturing and verifying users’ opinions on deployments): This aligns more with practices
like relationship management or service desk activities, not the deployment manager’s role, which
focuses on planning and execution rather than user feedback collection.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Roles and Responsibilities –
Deployment managers focus on prioritization and alignment with service management plans.
[Measure and Improve Deployment Management]
An organization has an objective to create and use deployment approaches that would fit the needs
of the organization and the context. How should the organization assess if this objective is achieved?
B
Explanation:
ITIL 4 emphasizes stakeholder satisfaction as a key indicator of whether a practice meets
organizational needs and context, as it reflects the value delivered to users and the business. Option
B, asking stakeholders about their satisfaction with deployment lead times, directly assesses whether
deployment approaches are effective and aligned with expectations, making it the best method to
evaluate the objective.
Option A (By looking at the deployment backlog throughput): Incorrect, as throughput measures
efficiency but does not directly indicate whether the deployment approach fits the organization’s
needs or context.
Option B (By asking stakeholders about their satisfaction with deployment lead times): Correct, as
stakeholder feedback on lead times reflects whether deployments are timely and valuable, aligning
with ITIL 4’s focus on value co-creation.
Option C (By measuring the percentage of deployments which did not follow the agreed policies and
models): Incorrect, as non-compliance indicates process issues but does not directly assess fit with
organizational needs or stakeholder satisfaction.
Option D (By analyzing the adherence to deployment schedules): Incorrect, as schedule adherence
measures operational performance, not whether the approach meets broader contextual needs.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Measuring Success –
Stakeholder satisfaction is a primary metric for assessing practice effectiveness.
[Measure and Improve Deployment Management]
Which capability criterion should be used to assess if the organization is succeeding in increasing the
capability level of its deployment management practice by maintaining an effective deployment
approach?
A
Explanation:
ITIL 4 defines capability levels based on outcomes and value delivery, with higher levels indicating
reliable and effective practices. To assess whether an organization is increasing its deployment
management capability by maintaining an effective approach, the key criterion is whether new and
changed services and service components are successfully deployed (Option A). This outcome-
focused measure directly indicates the practice’s reliability and alignment with organizational goals.
Option A (New and changed services and service components are successfully deployed): Correct, as
successful deployments are the primary indicator of an effective deployment management practice,
reflecting capability maturity in ITIL 4.
Option B (Deployments are supported by relevant competences): Incorrect, as while competences
are important, they are a supporting factor, not the primary criterion for assessing capability
outcomes.
Option C (Deployments include required technologies and information flows): Incorrect, as having
the right technologies is a prerequisite, not a direct measure of deployment success or capability.
Option D (Deployment rules are integrated with policies and rules for changes and releases):
Incorrect, as integration with other practices supports deployment but is not the key indicator of
capability compared to actual deployment success.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Capability Assessment – Success
of deployments is a core criterion for evaluating practice maturity.
[Understand the Key Concepts of Deployment Management]
An IT service provider is using continuous integration and is considering the introduction of
continuous delivery. Which is a benefit of this proposed change for the service provider?
D
Explanation:
Continuous delivery (CD) in ITIL 4 extends continuous integration (CI) by ensuring that every
validated change is ready for deployment to production, enabling smaller and more frequent
releases. The key benefit for users is that they experience changes which are smaller and more
frequent (Option D), reducing risk, improving feedback cycles, and delivering value faster.
Option A (Developers spend less time fixing issues in their code): Incorrect, as while CD may reduce
some issues through automation, this is not its primary benefit, and CI already includes frequent
testing to catch issues early.
Option B (Code is tested iteratively and frequently): Incorrect, as iterative and frequent testing is a
feature of continuous integration, not a new benefit introduced by continuous delivery.
Option C (Deployments of software builds are scripted to allow for automation): Incorrect, as
scripting and automation are part of both CI and CD pipelines, not a unique benefit of introducing
CD.
Option D (Users experience changes which are smaller and more frequent): Correct, as CD enables
rapid, incremental releases to production, directly benefiting users with faster and less disruptive
updates.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Continuous Delivery –
Highlights smaller, frequent releases as a key advantage for user value delivery.
[Integrate Deployment Management with Other Practices]
A large multi-national organization uses DevOps principles to enable fast and effective development
and implementation of software products. Each product team has a lot of independence, but a
centralized IT governance team ensures consistency and adherence to the organization's policies.
Different people within the organization have different opinions about whether deployment
management should be centralized or distributed among the teams. How should the deployment
management practice be implemented and managed in this organization to ensure that the practice
meets their needs?
C
Explanation:
In a DevOps environment with independent product teams and centralized governance, ITIL 4
recommends balancing autonomy with consistency. Option C, where a centralized deployment
management team supports product teams by providing guidance and tooling, aligns with this
approach. It ensures that teams retain flexibility to deploy efficiently while benefiting from
standardized tools, best practices, and governance, maintaining organizational alignment and
reducing risks of inconsistency.
Option A (Each development team should have an independent deployment manager who owns all
aspects of deployment within that team): Incorrect, as fully independent deployment managers per
team could lead to inconsistent practices and tools, undermining centralized governance and
creating silos.
Option B (A centralized deployment management team should manage and coordinate deployments
for all development teams): Incorrect, as centralizing all deployment activities reduces team
autonomy, contradicting DevOps principles of empowering teams and slowing down delivery.
Option C (A centralized deployment management team should support the product teams by
providing guidance and tooling): Correct, as it supports DevOps autonomy while ensuring
consistency through shared tools (e.g., CI/CD pipelines) and guidance, aligning with ITIL 4’s focus on
value co-creation and governance.
Option D (Software developers in each team should take full responsibility for deployment of
software that they develop): Incorrect, as while developers often handle deployments in DevOps,
completely bypassing a structured deployment management practice risks non-compliance with
governance and inconsistent outcomes.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Deployment in DevOps
Environments – Centralized support for tooling and guidance ensures consistency while preserving
team autonomy.
[Use Tools and Techniques for Deployment]
An organization is facing errors and delays when deploying software. An investigation has shown that
these are often caused by the need for unplanned manual configuration of the target environments.
What is the BEST recommendation for the organization to improve the success rate of deployments?
A
Explanation:
The issue of errors and delays due to unplanned manual configuration of target environments points
to inconsistent or poorly managed environments. ITIL 4 recommends leveraging Infrastructure as
Code (IaC) (Option A) to address this, as IaC automates and standardizes environment provisioning,
ensuring consistency and reducing manual errors.
Option A (Leverage Infrastructure as Code): Correct, as IaC (e.g., using tools like Terraform or Ansible)
defines environments in code, enabling repeatable, error-free setups and directly addressing the
problem of manual configuration errors.
Option B (Use incremental deployments): Incorrect, as incremental deployments focus on releasing
smaller changes but do not address the root cause of environment configuration issues.
Option C (Integrate build, test, and deployment activities): Incorrect, as while integration improves
pipeline flow, it does not specifically resolve manual configuration errors in target environments.
Option D (Automate the CI/CD pipeline): Incorrect, as automating the pipeline is a broader solution
that may include IaC, but it is not specific enough to address the environment configuration issue
directly.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Automation and Tooling –
Infrastructure as Code is recommended to eliminate manual configuration errors.
[Apply Deployment Management Processes]
An organization is deploying new software and new servers to support a service that will be launched
soon. Which TWO of these activities should the organization conduct as part of the 'verification of
the service components' activity of the 'deployment lifecycle management' process?
Checking that the correct models of server have been supplied
Testing the software for defects
Creating a schedule for installing the new servers
Installing the new software to the newly installed servers
A
Explanation:
In ITIL 4, the ‘verification of service components’ activity within the deployment lifecycle
management process ensures that delivered components meet specifications before deployment.
The correct activities are:
Activity 1 (Checking that the correct models of server have been supplied): Part of verification, as it
confirms that the hardware components match requirements.
Activity 2 (Testing the software for defects): Part of verification, as it ensures the software is
functional and free of critical issues before deployment.
Activity 3 (Creating a schedule for installing the new servers): Incorrect, as scheduling is a planning
activity, not verification.
Activity 4 (Installing the new software to the newly installed servers): Incorrect, as installation is part
of the deployment execution, not verification.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Deployment Lifecycle
Management – Verification includes checking hardware specifications and testing software for
readiness.
[Integrate Deployment Management with Other Practices]
An organization’s end users have complained that major software updates happen during work
hours, with insufficient notice, and sometimes disrupt users’ work for an unacceptably long time. The
deployment manager already has close alignment with the release manager and release processes,
and has implemented CI/CD. What is the BEST action for the organization to take to ensure new
software features are relevant to the end-users?
C
Explanation:
The issue involves poor timing, lack of notice, and disruptions from deployments, which points to
deficiencies in change planning and communication. ITIL 4 emphasizes aligning deployment with
change enablement to ensure changes are scheduled and communicated effectively, addressing user
concerns. Option C, aligning with the change enablement manager to improve change planning
procedures, directly tackles these issues by ensuring deployments are timed appropriately, users are
informed, and disruptions are minimized, while also ensuring feature relevance through better
planning.
Option A (Use infrastructure as code to support the software deployment): Incorrect, as IaC improves
environment consistency but does not address scheduling, notice, or user relevance issues.
Option B (Embed validation and testing within the deployment models): Incorrect, as while testing
improves quality, it does not resolve timing or communication problems affecting users.
Option C (Align with the change enablement manager to improve the change planning procedures):
Correct, as change enablement ensures deployments are planned with user needs in mind, including
timing, communication, and relevance of features.
Option D (Integrate deployment management and configuration management activities to improve
version control): Incorrect, as version control enhances deployment accuracy but does not address
user complaints about timing or disruption.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Integration with Change
Enablement – Aligning deployment with change planning minimizes user disruption and ensures
relevance.
[Measure and Improve Deployment Management]
An IT service manager is analyzing a value stream that is used to deploy new and changed services.
The manager has interviewed many staff and has identified all the workflow steps. The manager is
now evaluating the workflow steps so that they can plan improvements. Which activity should the
manager carry out as part of this evaluation?
D
Explanation:
ITIL 4’s value stream analysis focuses on understanding the contribution of each step to overall value
delivery to identify improvement opportunities. When evaluating workflow steps, the manager
should establish what value is created in each step (Option D), as this provides the foundation for
assessing whether steps are necessary, effective, or aligned with organizational goals.
Option A (Collect data about what happens in each workflow step): Incorrect, as data collection is
part of identifying steps (already done, per the question), not evaluating their value.
Option B (Identify wasteful steps that could be eliminated): Incorrect, as identifying waste is a
subsequent action that depends on first understanding the value of each step.
Option C (Define an ideal series of workflow steps for the future): Incorrect, as defining future steps
is part of planning improvements, not evaluating current steps.
Option D (Establish what value is created in each workflow step): Correct, as evaluating value per
step is critical to understanding the stream’s effectiveness and prioritizing improvements, per ITIL 4.
Reference: ITIL 4 Practitioner: Deployment Management, Section on Value Stream Analysis –
Evaluating value per step is key to optimizing deployment workflows.