According he official ITIL site (www.itil-officialsite.com), ITIL® is the only consistent and comprehensive documentation of best practice for IT Service Management. Used by thousands of organisations around the world, a whole ITIL philosophy has grown up around the guidance contained within the ITIL books and the supporting professional qualification scheme.

ITIL consists of a series of books giving guidance on the provision of quality IT services, and on the accommodation and environmental facilities needed to support IT. ITIL has been developed in recognition of organisations' growing dependency on IT and embodies best practices for IT Service Management.

The ethos behind the development of ITIL is the recognition that organisations are becoming increasingly dependent on IT in order to satisfy their corporate aims and meet their business needs. This leads to an increased requirement for high quality IT services.

ITIL is supported by a comprehensive qualification scheme along with a network of accredited training, consulting and technology providers operating across the globe.

The primary benefit coming out of most ITIL projects is a significant reduction in IT's Total Cost of Ownership (i.e., operations cost) along with the ability to deliver reliable, high value services to their client base. Today, ITIL best practices have been adopted by organizations of all sizes including Disney, IBM, Caterpillar, Shell Oil, Boeing and governments across the globe.

The five Books of ITIL are:

Service Operation (SO)
Service Operation introduces, explains and details delivery and control activities to achieve operational excellence on a day-to-day basis. Readers will find many of the familiar processes from the former service support and service delivery books, which have been updated where necessary.

Service Transition (ST)
Service Transition provides guidance and process activities for the transition of services in the operational business environment. It covers the broader, long-term change management role, release and deployment practices, so that risks, benefits, delivery mechanisms and the support of ongoing operational services are considered.

Service Design (SD)
In order to meet the current and future business requirements, Service Design provides guidance on the production and maintenance of IT policies, architectures, and documents for the design of appropriate and innovative IT infrastructure service solutions and processes.

Service Strategy (SS)
A view of ITIL that aligns business and IT so that each brings out the best in the other. It ensures that every element of the Service Lifecycle is focused on customer outcomes and relates to all the companion process elements that follow. Subsequent titles in the core set will link deliverables to meeting the business goals, requirements and service management principles described in this publication.

Continual Service Improvement (CSI)
Alongside the delivery of consistent, repeatable process activities as part of service quality, ITIL has always emphasised the importance of continual improvements. Focusing on the process elements involved in identifying and introducing service management improvements, this publication also deals with issues surrounding service retirement.

Today, ITIL V3 offers a total of 13 certifications to the IT community. Unlike version 2, ITIL V3 has made accommodations in the syllabi to deliver classes not only in the classroom but also in the virtual classroom (i.e., webex) and online e-learning classroom. Listed below is a brief description of each of the programs.

ITIL Foundation Certification

The foundation-level certification program targets IT professionals looking to become a general practitioner in the practice of IT Service Management. While these practitioners have a general understanding of ITSM, they have a limited knowledge of any specific process, function or service lifecycle area. This is also the first stop for those looking to become ITSM Specialists, ITSM Practice Managers or ITSM Expert.

Foundation certification classes include: ITIL V3 Foundation and ITIL V3 Foundation Bridge.

ITIL Intermediate - Lifecycle Specialist

The lifecycle certification series targets individuals looking to specialize in one or more of the five ITIL Lifecycle Practice Areas. Historically, these roles comprise individuals who are responsible for the Planning, Design and Optimizing (improvement) areas within the IT Engineering, Application Development and Project/Program Management organizations.

In order to take the certification examination for any of these Lifecycle courses, you must hold an ITIL V3 Foundation certificate.

Lifecycle certification classes include: Service Operation (SO), Service Transition (ST), Service Design (SD), Service Strategy (SS) and Continual Service Improvement (CSI).

ITIL Intermediate - Capability Specialist

The capability certification series targets individuals looking to specialize in one or more of the four ITIL Capability Operational Practice Areas. Historically, these roles include individuals who are responsible for the Operations (service maintenance & support) areas within the IT Implementation and Operations organizations.

In order to take the certification examination for any of these Lifecycle courses, you must hold an ITIL V3 Foundation certificate.

Capability certification classes include: Operational Support & Analysis (OSA), Release, Control & Validation (RCV), Planning, Protection & Optimization (PPO), Service Offerings & Agreements (SOA).

ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle

The Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC) program leads to the ITIL V3 Service Manager Expert certificate. This certification completes the Lifecycle and Capability streams by focusing on the ancillary knowledge required to implement and manage the necessary skills associated with the use of the Lifecycle practices.

Students must have accumulated 17 ITIL credits to sit for the Managing Across the Lifecycle exam.

Classes include: ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle.

ITIL V2 to V3 Service Manager Bridge

This V3 Service manager Bridge program enables ITIL Version 2-certified Service Managers to upgrade their Service Manager certification to Version 3 Service Manager Expert. The Manager Bridge course covers the subject areas of the five V3 Lifecycle stages, and existing subject areas of V2 that have undergone significant change in V3.

This qualification bridges the gap between the ITIL V1 or V2 Service Manager Certificate in IT Service Management and the ITIL Expert certification in IT Service Management. Students must hold an ITIL V1 or V2 Service manager certificate to sit for the V2 to V3 Service Manager bridge exam.

Classes include: ITIL V2 to V3 Service Manager Bridge.

ITIL Foundation or Foundation Bridge Exams

Foundation certification does not require (but it is recommended) students to attend a class to sit for the exam. Exams can be delivered as part of a classroom program with an accredited proctor, online at a student's office or home PC using a web cam proctor or in a Prometric or VUE testing center.

ITIL Intermediate Exams

Intermediate, Service Manager Bridge and Managing Across the Lifecycle certification require students to attend an accredited class (online or classroom) to sit for the exam. Exams can be delivered as part of a classroom program with an accredited proctor or online to a student's office or home PC using a web cam proctor.

The following outlines the Roles & Responsibilities one can assume in an IT organization once they successfully completed the ITIL certification programs listed for that role.

ITIL V3 Service Operations Team

• ITIL Service Desk Specialist facilitates the Enablement & Restoration of IT Services with minimal impact on the business and within agreed service levels. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Operational Support & Analysis (OSA)


• ITIL Problem Management Specialist is responsible for finding the root cause of a problem and the plan to remove that error from the infrastructure. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Operational Support & Analysis (OSA).


• ITIL Service Desk Practice Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the ITIL service desk specialists who are responsible for the facilitation of the Enablement & Restoration of IT Services with minimal impact on the business and within agreed service levels. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation, Service Operation & Operational Support & Analysis (OSA).


• ITIL Problem Management Practice Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the ITIL change management specialists who are responsible for finding the root cause of a problem and the plan to remove that error from the infrastructure. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation, Service Operation and Operational Support & Analysis (OSA).


• ITIL Service Operation Practice Manager is responsible for managing the overall Service Operations practice area. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation, Service Operation and Operational Support & Analysis (OSA).

ITIL Service Transition Team

• ITIL Change Management Specialist is responsible for maximizing the benefits to the business when making changes to the IT infrastructure, while minimizing the risks involved in making those changes. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Release Control & Validation (RCV)


• ITIL Release & Deployment Management Specialist is responsible for protecting the live environment and its services through the use of formal procedures that control the release, distribution, implementation and maintenance of configuration Items. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Release Control & Validation (RCV)


• ITIL Configuration & Knowledge Management Specialist is responsible for ensures that all of the Configuration Items in the infrastructure are authorized, and under the control of a single set of processes and to ensure that the right information is delivered to the appropriate place or competent person at the right time to enable informed decisions. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Release Control & Validation (RCV)


• ITIL Transition Management Practice Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the ITIL change management specialists who are responsible for maximizing the benefits to the business when making changes to the IT infrastructure, while minimizing the risks involved in making those changes. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation, Service Transition and Release Control & Validation (RCV)

ITIL Service Design Team

• ITIL Service Level Management Specialist is responsible for maintaining and improving business aligned IT service quality through a constant cycle of agreeing, monitoring, reporting and reviewing IT service achievement. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Service Offerings & Agreements


• ITIL Service Capacity & Continuity Specialist is responsible for optimizes the delivery of IT Services by matching the business demand for IT services to IT resources along with providing a systematic approach to the development of an IT Service Continuity Plan to ensure that IT services are protected or can be restored as quickly as possible after a disaster. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Planning Protection & Optimization


• ITIL Service Catalogue & Supplier Management Specialist is responsible for managing the information contained within the Service Catalog, ensuring that it is accurate and reflects the current details, status interfaces and dependencies of all services that are being run, or being prepared to run in the live environment. The SCSMS is also responsible to ensures that services supplied by external suppliers provide a quality of service to the business consistent with the money being spent to obtain those services. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Service Offerings & Agreements


• ITIL Service Design Practice Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the ITIL service design specialists who are responsible for translating strategic plans and objectives and creating the designs and specifications for execution through service transition and operations. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation, Service Design, Service Offerings & Agreements and Planning Protection & Optimization

ITIL Service Strategy & Continual Service Improvement Teams

• ITIL Service Portfolio Management Specialist is responsible for managing the commitments & investments made by the service provider across all customers, markets and third-party services. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Service Strategy


• ITIL Service Quality Management Specialist is responsible for monitoring IT' s compliance with corporate performance and quality management policies using best practice management methods. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation and Continual Service Improvement


• ITIL Strategy & CSI Practice Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the ITIL service portfolio & service quality specialists who are responsible for managing the commitments & investments made by the service provider across all customers, markets and third-party services along with monitoring IT' s compliance with corporate performance and quality management policies using best practice management methods. Recommended ITIL Certifications: Foundation, Service Strategy and Continual Service Improvement

ITIL Expert Mentors

The expert certification series is targeted at individuals looking to become ITIL experts in one of the six ITIL V3 Expert tracks. This ITIL Expert certification program leads to multiple certificates in IT Service Management. The primary purpose of this role is to be the Mentor to the various teams within IT responsible for the Planning, Design, Implementation, Operations and Optimization of the ITSM program. Historically, these roles have been assigned to individuals from the IT Engineering, Program/Project management and Operation organizations who have a 360° view of how IT operates in the context of the enterprise.

Expert mentors include:

• ITIL Lifecycle Expert leads the teams responsible for reviewing and building the organization's IT Service Lifecycle plan. Historically, these roles have been assigned to individuals from the IT Engineering or Program/Project management organizations who have a 360° view of how IT operates in the context of the enterprise. ITIL Certifications required include: Service Strategy (SS), Service Design (SD), Service Transition (ST), Service Operation (SO), Continual Service Improvement (CSI) and Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)


• ITIL Capability Expert leads the teams responsible for implementing and managing IT services on a daily basis. Historically, these roles have been assigned to individuals from the IT Implementation or Operations support organizations who have a 360° view of the enterprise IT operational environment. ITIL Certifications required include: Operational Support & Analysis (OSA), Release Control & Validation (RCV), Planning, Protection & Optimization (PPO), Service Offerings & Agreements (SOA), Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)


• ITIL Mixed Track Expert leads the teams responsible for reviewing, building, implementing and managing IT services on a daily basis. Historically, these roles have been assigned to individuals from the IT Implementation or Operations support organizations who have a 360° view of the enterprise IT operational environment. There are four hybrid practice area configurations supported by APMG. ITIL certifications required include:


• Mixed Track #1 - Mid-Level Manager: Customer Relations - Service Offerings & Agreements (SOA), Service Transition (ST), Service Operation (SO), Continual Service Improvement (CSI) and Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)


• Mixed Track #2 - Mid-Level Manager - IT Quality Assurance - Release Control & Validation (RCV), Planning, Protection & Optimization (PPO), Service Offerings & Agreements (SOA), Service Operation (SO), Continual Service Improvement (CSI) and Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)


• Mixed Track #3 - Mid Level Manager - IT Operations - Operational Support & Analysis (OSA), Release Control & Validation (RCV), Service Offerings & Agreements (SOA), Service Design (SD), Continual Service Improvement (CSI) and Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)


• Mixed Track #4 - Mid Level Manager - IT Planning & Architecture - Operational Support & Analysis (OSA), Release Control & Validation (RCV), Service Strategy (SS), Service Design (SD), Continual Service Improvement (CSI) and Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)

A recent Gartner report examined long-term trends in IT. It concluded that over the next five years IT would transform itself into a business focused, process-oriented organization delivering the agility and innovation enterprises need to maintain their competitive advantage in the marketplace. In effect, IT would be delivering Business Technology solutions that would exploit technology in support of business objectives.

When examined in detail, the Gartner report predicts that IT as we know it will evolve into a Business Technology Organization (BTO), integrating itself into the enterprise or mission value chain. IT's focus will shift from traditional cost avoidance return-on-investment (ROI) from technology projects to total business value delivered to the enterprise or mission.

To support this new delivery model, Gartner and other believe that IT will need to retool it's workforce to be trained and certified in the following areas

• Technology Management (i.e., Microsoft, Cisco etc.)
• IT Service Management (i.e., ITIL, Cobit, Six Sigma etc.)
• IT Project & Resource Management (i.e., PMI or Prince 2 Methods etc.)
• IT Client Management (i.e., Kepner-Tregoe Methods etc.)

Having one or multiples of the above certifications will improve your chances of not only landing a job or promotion but also position you as one of the early adopters in a space that is destined to be one of the high growth areas in IT for several years to come.

More information on the above topic can be found here.