Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a robust framework that collects best practices for designing and organizing IT services management. Organizations have recognized that adopting ITIL is the basis of success and achieving a competitive edge in a highly turbulent business environment concerning their competitors. More than 10,000 organizations, with this recognized ITIL strategy, are steadily enhancing IT services and business services.

As part of the job requirements, companies expect ITIL certification and partners to conduct ITIL workshops and push their staff to get an ITIL certification. Being ITIL certified is the best approach for your recruiter to know that you want to become a preferred candidate in the IT service industry.

Whether you have begun working in an ITIL environment or are about to enter this field, it is pretty valuable if you have some knowledge of the fundamental concepts of ITIL. This article is an introductory guide to ITIL’s main concepts and principles. 

What is ITIL?

ITIL is a framework that offers a range of best practices for IT services management. It explains a wide range of activities and procedures in detail to support businesses in IT operations for quality and efficiency.

ITIL, the acronym of ‘The IT Infrastructure Library,’ is a series of IT services dedicated to customer delivery services. It has now become a de facto norm in IT service provision. ITIL 2011 is the newest upgrade to assist the industry in improving IT services.

For IT and business, ITIL has a range of advantages. ITIL enables firms to be more agile, complementing other best practices and frameworks. ITIL works as a motivator for efficient management of IT services.

What are the concepts of ITIL? 

The key ITIL concepts are:  

  • Provide maximum value to customers with no unforeseen costs and risks
  • Provide customers with the utmost importance.
  • Optimize the use of resources and ‘capacity.’
  • Provide services of the best possible use and reliable guarantees.
  • For specified objectives, you should plan all processes.
  • For task-oriented group initiatives, you should clearly define roles.

IT service lifecycle

  • Service Strategy: The ITIL Service Strategy identifies services as assets and then pursues and implements the strategy. The ITIL service strategy’s principles address corporate management & compliance issues, business processes, policy, decision-making, corporate culture, and improvement of services.
  • Service Design: ITIL service design deals with concerns such as capacity management, management of continuity, supplier management, and management of the service catalog.
  • Service Transition: The standards for ITIL service transition cover the areas of change assessment, configuration management, project management, systems integration, release and deployment management, validation of services, the management of assets, and knowledge.
  • Service Operation: The ITIL operating principles include event management activities, management of incidents, completion of requests, access management, problem management, IT operating inspection, facilities management, application administration, and technical management.
  • Continuous Improvement: The ITIL Continuous Improvement Guidelines establish the route to the management of services evaluation, process assessment, CSI initiatives, and CSI program monitoring.

Processes and functions

Now move to several other vital processes and functions.

  • Processes: Efficient means of governance are required to monitor each group of programs. Processes are practical guidelines to achieve stated objectives. ITIL V3 defines the business process as a systematic sequence of operations to achieve a given objective. The process inputs are defined and transformed into preset outputs. 
  • Functions: Functions are often used to make operations efficient by employees and by high-end programs. According to the Business Dictionary, business functions refer to processes taken to produce a determined result by a device, person, or department. In particular, a process remains the same, whereas the objective frequently changes.

ITIL certification

The ITIL certification comprises five levels with a specified subject of training. Individuals can obtain ITIL certification to build experience in key ITIL fields and become experts. ITIL is the entry-level Certification and covers fundamental ITIL concepts and the life cycle of ITIL Service.

  • Foundation level – It includes core ITIL ideas, essential elements, and crucial terminology used for the lifespan of ITIL services and their commitment to service management practices.
  • Practitioner level – This is the second stage in the ITIL credential. It spans the gap between the foundation and the intermediate level. This level aims to allow IT people in their businesses to embrace ITIL frameworks.
  • Intermediate level – This contains two categories: service lifecycle, which includes five phases, namely operational support, release control, and service capacity.
  • Expert level – In this way, ITIL is fully addressed and includes intricacies of ITIL concepts. For this test, ITIL foundation and intermediate examinations are required.
  • Master-level – This requires practical ITIL implementation in the various enterprises and ITIL adoption and project implementation experiences.

Benefits of ITIL

As corporations become more aware of the efficacy of ITIL management, in several industries, like health care, and educational institutions, there is an increasing need for ITIL professionals. Best practices of ITIL are essential for efficient management of the business. 

Below are some ITIL benefits:

  • Professionals shall gain a systematic and professional attitude to best practice methodology.
  • Improves a professionals’ capacity to identify, plan and support IT services in a company leading to increased productivity, and efficiency
  • Provides expertise to the professionals and lets them focus on client needs and user experience rather than spending too long on technical problems
  • Enhances job opportunities with a solid package
  • Practical guidance on how to improve business productivity effectively
  • Discover and focus on precious organizational tasks

Endnote

As more and more firms seek ISO certification, the demand for professionals with the proper skills is increasing. The ITIL framework has been adopted and upgraded by hundreds of companies, including retail, IT, entertainment, manufacturing, and medical. It offers guidance for optimizing customer satisfaction processes and operations. It is a five-stage framework that provides five certificates: the foundation, practitioner, intermediate, expert, and master. The ITIL expert’s average annual income is 7500 dollars per month.

The growing demand for ITIL practitioners worldwide proves that IT companies profit from the ITIL framework extraordinarily. In this booming IT sector and searching for relevant IT training to help your career, acquiring ITIL certification online would be a terrific step forward.