Which category is commonly included in a network outage root-cause taxonomy?

Which category is commonly included in a network outage root-cause taxonomy?

• A. Software bugs
• B. Hardware failure
• C. Human error
• D. External dependencies

Answer: (B)

In network outage analysis, root-cause taxonomies organize incidents by where the fault originates in the physical and logical stack. Hardware failure is commonly included because the network depends on physical devices and links, and when a component such as a router, switch, power supply, or fiber link fails, the outage is tied directly to that hardware. This category provides a clear, actionable starting point for remediation—testing hardware, replacing faulty components, or addressing power and connectivity issues—and it often explains a substantial portion of outages in a straightforward way. Other causes like software bugs, human error, or reliance on external services are real and important, but hardware failure tends to be a universal, primary bucket used to anchor the taxonomy and guide practical mitigation measures.

In network outage analysis, root-cause taxonomies organize incidents by where the fault originates in the physical and logical stack. Hardware failure is commonly included because the network depends on physical devices and links, and when a component such as a router, switch, power supply, or fiber link fails, the outage is tied directly to that hardware. This category provides a clear, actionable starting point for remediation—testing hardware, replacing faulty components, or addressing power and connectivity issues—and it often explains a substantial portion of outages in a straightforward way. Other causes like software bugs, human error, or reliance on external services are real and important, but hardware failure tends to be a universal, primary bucket used to anchor the taxonomy and guide practical mitigation measures.