ITIL - Gaining popularity by the day!

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is the most widely accepted certification for IT Service Management in the world. ITIL is a set of theories and strategies for managing information technology infrastructure, development and operations. ITIL is considered as the best practice in IT Service Management, developed by OGC and supported by publications, qualifications and an international user group.

ITIL has been developed by Central Computer and Telecommunication Agency (CCTA), as a framework for efficient and financially reliable use of IT resources. ITIL provides best practices supported by quality services from a wide range of service providers, training agencies and professional qualifications.

ITIL consists of a series of modules giving guidance on the provision of quality IT services, and on the accommodation and environmental services needed to support IT. ITIL has been developed in recognition of organizations growing dependence on IT and represent best practices for IT Service Management.

There are five ITIL Service Modules: Service Strategy (SS), Service Design (SD), Service Transition (ST), Service Operation (SO) and Continual Service Improvement (CSI)

ITIL Certifications are managed by ITIL Certification Management Board (ICMB). There are three main levels on the ITIL Certification Path; Foundation, Practitioner and Manager Level. To pass exams on each level it is necessary to prepare through specialized ITIL courseware which are provided by a variety of vendors, both through instructors and online. For Practitioner and Master Level Certification, it is preferred that one possesses some work experience in the ITIL environment. Else it might be difficult to understand how ITIL processes work and succeeding in the final exams will be very hectic and difficult.

ITIL Foundation Certification is an entry level certification in ITIL.ITIL Foundation course is for those who want to gain basic understanding of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). It focuses on aligning IT Service, improving service quality and implementation of service level agreements. It is a prerequisite for Practitioner and Manager Certifications in IT Service Management. It combines a few lectures with individual and group assignments. ITIL Foundation prepares participants to sit for the 1 hour ITIL Foundations exam, which is independently assessed by EXIN, an accredited ITIL examination body. ITIL Foundation target audience consists of employees and managers at all levels who wants to enhance their skills in IT Service Management.

ITIL Practitioner Certification is an intermediate level certification presented by OGC and the exam is conducted by EXIN. The ITIL Practitioner Certification focuses on the candidate’s capability in understanding and applying of the definite processes within the IT Service Management. ITIL Foundation Certification in Service management is a must for ITIL Practitioner Certification alongside three to four years of experience in ITIL. Practitioner Certification is all about practice and specialty. There are three areas covered in Practitioner Certification which are:

a) Release and Control

b) Support and Restore

c) Agree and Define

It is necessary to deeply understand all aspects of the ITIL process before going for Manager Certification. Practitioner Certification focused on team leaders and specialists who want to enhance their knowledge into new specialty.

ITIL Manager Certification is the top level of certification in ITIL Certification path. ITIL Manager Certification is also called as Master’s Certification due to amount of practical experience required and the extensive range of material and difficulty which categorize the assessment. Rigorous courseware and extensive training is extremely recommended before appearing for this exam. It is also recommended that to attain Manager Certification, you must have several years of experience in the ITIL atmosphere. ITIL Manager Certification is for Managers, Project Leaders in IT Companies.