Study for the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare thoroughly for your certification exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


How is recovery time objective (RTO) defined?

  1. The duration allowed for software upgrades

  2. The maximum time allowed before business functionality is severely impacted after a service disruption

  3. The total time required for testing new services

  4. The estimate of resources needed for recovery

The correct answer is: The maximum time allowed before business functionality is severely impacted after a service disruption

Recovery Time Objective (RTO) is a critical metric in the context of IT service management and business continuity. It specifically refers to the maximum allowable downtime after a service disruption before the business functionality is significantly affected. This timeline is crucial for organizations as it helps them to establish their prioritization and resource allocation strategies. For example, if a service outage occurs, RTO determines how long the organization can sustain the interruption without experiencing serious consequences, such as financial loss, data compromise, or damage to its reputation. The goal is to restore service or functionality within this defined timeframe to minimize the impact on the organization. Understanding RTO helps organizations devise appropriate recovery plans, implement disaster recovery solutions, and ensure that necessary resources are in place to restore operations effectively within the designated time frame.