CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What term refers to a system reporting metrics that are either above or below expected baselines?

1. Baseline

2. Outlier

3. Deviation

4. Anomaly

The correct answer is: Anomaly

The correct answer is "anomaly" because this term specifically refers to data points or metrics that deviate from the expected or established baseline. In the context of systems monitoring, an anomaly indicates unexpected behavior or values that diverge from normal operational parameters. When metrics are collected and analyzed, they are often compared to a baseline, which represents the normal operating conditions of the system. When a metric falls significantly above or below this baseline, it can be classified as an anomaly, signaling that something unusual may be occurring, such as a potential issue or event that requires attention. While "deviation" could also describe a departure from the baseline, it is a broader term that does not inherently imply unexpected or significant changes. On the other hand, "outlier" refers specifically to an individual data point that lies outside the overall trend of a dataset, which may not always be indicative of a specific problem in the same way that an anomaly is. The term "baseline" itself refers to the standard or reference point against which changes are measured, but does not describe the surprising or unexpected nature of those changes. Thus, "anomaly" effectively captures the concept of metrics that signify unusual or concerning behavior in monitoring systems.