ITIL^® (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library popularly known as ITIL^® is a global de facto framework. It is essentially a set of best practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of business. In its current form (known as ITIL^®2011 edition), ITIL^® is published in a series of five core volumes, (Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement)each of which covers an ITSM lifecycle stage.

ITIL^® describes processes, procedures, tasks and checklists that are not organization-specific, used by organizations across the globe for establishing integration with the organization's strategy, delivering value and maintaining a minimum level of competency. It allows the organizations to establish a baseline from which they can plan, implement and measure. It is used to demonstrate compliance and to measure improvement.

ITIL^® provides the foundation for quality IT Service Management through documented, proven processes that cover the entire Service Lifecycle. It is easy for organizations to learn, tailor and implement to suit their environment. ITIL^® helps service providers with best practice guidance on the provision of quality IT services, and the processes, functions and other capabilities needed to support them. ITIL^® is the most widely accepted approach to IT service management best practice.

• Service Strategy
• Service Design
• Service Transition
• Service Operation
• Continual Service Improvement

The ITIL^® Qualifications scheme provides a modular approach to the ITIL^® framework, and is comprised of a series of qualifications focused on different aspects of ITIL^® Best Practice, to various degrees of depth and detail.

These are the levels of qualifications within the scheme:

• ITIL^® Foundation
• ITIL^® Intermediate Level
  • ITIL^® Service Lifecycle Stream
  • ITIL^® Service Capability Stream
• ITIL^® Managing Across the Lifecycle
• ITIL^® Expert Level
• ITIL^® Master Qualification

The modular, tiered structure of the qualification not only offers candidates the flexibility in relating to the different disciplines and areas of ITIL^®, but generally makes ITIL^® qualifications more accessible and achievable.

The ITIL^® Qualification Scheme introduces a modular credit system for each of the ITIL^® qualifications. All modules are given a credit value, and candidates meeting the requisite entry criteria and accumulating the required number of credits (22) can apply for ITIL^® Expert level of qualification.

ITIL^® provides a systematic and professional approach to the management of IT services. Adopting its guidance offers users a huge range of benefits, including:

• Provide a practical framework for identifying, planning, delivering and supporting IT services to the business.
• Increase business productivity, efficiency and effectiveness through more reliable IT services.
• Define processes with clearly documented accountability for each activity to increase efficiency.
• Enable a business to keep pace with change and drive business change to its advantage.
• Help employees to focus on the needs of the customers and user experience rather than spending too much time on technological issues

• Align IT services with business priorities to achieve strategic objectives.
• Increase value from the service portfolio while reducing costs and risk.
• Enable successful business transformation and growth with an increased competitive advantage by defining and managing the customer and service portfolio.
• Increase competence, capability and productivity of IT staff and better utilize the skills and experience of staff.
• Improve user and customer satisfaction with IT as well as the end-user perception and brand image.
• A balanced and flexible approach to service provision
• Well-designed services which meet customers' needs - now and in the future
• Ability to adopt and adapt to reflect business needs and maturity.