What is the difference between an incident and a problem?

The distinction between an incident and a problem is critical in IT service management, and this answer encapsulates the core difference effectively. An incident refers to an unplanned interruption or a reduction in the quality of an IT service. Essentially, it's any event that disrupts normal operation, requiring immediate attention to restore service.

In contrast, a problem is defined as the underlying cause of one or more incidents. Problems are typically identified through analysis of incidents and may require more in-depth investigation to diagnose the root cause. This means that multiple incidents can be linked to a single problem. Effectively managing both incidents and problems is crucial for maintaining service quality, but they serve different purposes in the overall service support process.

The other options do not accurately capture this relationship. Describing an incident as a routine task or a minor issue misrepresents its nature, as incidents can vary widely in complexity and importance. Similarly, stating that a problem is always major disregards the nuanced understanding that not all problems have equally severe impacts. Lastly, the suggestion that an incident requires immediate action while a problem can wait oversimplifies the interaction between the two. Problems can indeed require urgent attention, particularly if they are causing widespread incidents.