What is a runbook?

What is a runbook?

• A. A hardware replacement strategy.
• B. A network diagram.
• C. A security policy.
• D. A documented set of procedures for routine tasks and incident responses.

Answer: (C)

Runbook is a documented set of procedures that tells IT staff exactly what steps to take for routine tasks and for handling incidents. It acts like a playbook, listing the tasks in order, any prerequisites, expected outcomes, recovery steps if something goes wrong, and who to contact for escalation. The value lies in consistency, speed, and auditability—staff can perform actions the same way every time and new teammates can follow the documented steps without guesswork. This is different from a hardware replacement strategy (which focuses on when and how hardware should be swapped), a network diagram (a visual map of devices and connections), or a security policy (rules about behavior and access rather than procedural steps).

Runbook is a documented set of procedures that tells IT staff exactly what steps to take for routine tasks and for handling incidents. It acts like a playbook, listing the tasks in order, any prerequisites, expected outcomes, recovery steps if something goes wrong, and who to contact for escalation. The value lies in consistency, speed, and auditability—staff can perform actions the same way every time and new teammates can follow the documented steps without guesswork. This is different from a hardware replacement strategy (which focuses on when and how hardware should be swapped), a network diagram (a visual map of devices and connections), or a security policy (rules about behavior and access rather than procedural steps).