What is an example of an event in ITIL terms?

In ITIL terms, an event is defined as any observable occurrence in a system or service. This can include both significant occurrences, such as incidents, as well as routine operations. The example of a user logging onto a system is a fitting representation of an event because it indicates a change in state or activity within the IT environment. Logging in shows that a user is interacting with the system, generating data that can be monitored for various purposes, such as security auditing, resource utilization, or user behavior analysis.

The other choices illustrate different scenarios but do not encapsulate the broader or routine nature of an event as defined in ITIL. A service outage represents a significant incident affecting service delivery, rather than a regular occurrence. Scheduled system maintenance is typically considered a planned activity rather than an event. A new service request indicates a service demand but lacks the routine nature that characterizes an event. Thus, a user logging onto a system exemplifies the continual monitoring aspect that events represent in ITIL.