ITIL®– IT Infrastructure Library® for IT Service Management (ITSM)
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ITIL Books (the new ITILv3 Complete Lifecycle Publication Suite) - Book uniquely guaranteed ITILv3 Certificate Classroom Training from IT Governance
- Obtain ITIL information, resources and online resource kits (see below)
- Find out more about ITIL Certifications
ITIL or IT Infrastructure Library, was developed by the UK's Office of Government Commerce as a library of best practice processes for IT service management. Widely adopted around the world, ITIL is now supported by ISO/IEC 20000 (was BS 15000), against which independent certification can be achieved. ITIL was revised and republished in 2007 as the new ITILv3.
We are an authorized TSO distributor of official OGC publications and you can order from our site all of the ITIL books, including:
- the new ITILv3 Official Lifecycle Publication Suite, (in all formats) as well as
- a wide range of other approved ITILv3 books, distance learning and classroom training
- all all 8 of the original ITILv2 books (which are still in publication - ITILv2 is still in use in many organisations).
Browse our ITIL and ITSM bookshop - and access the Web's widest range of ITIL books, standards and guides (in English).
There is also an extensive range of ITIL process software and downloadable/electronic ITIL resource kits to help with ITIL implementations.
FREE ITIL BRIEFING PAPER:
If you would like the most recent version of our FREE briefing paper and FAQs on ITIL, ITSM & ISO 20000, please provide your details below (only submit once) and we'll email you a download link.
What are some of the most useful ITIL resources?
Well, the most important and useful resource is, of course, the ITILv3 Official Lifecycle Publication Suite. If you're looking for a set of handy guides to the ITIL material, there are two (similarly priced) options:
- ITILv3 Key Element Guides, the official quick-reference guides to ITILv3 from the OGC
- ITILv3 Management Guides - Lifecyle Approach based on ITILv3 Suite
In particular, Foundations of IT Service Management based on ITIL V3 is a popular and unique introduction book that is accepted by all major players in the ITIL market as the default book for training and is also the widely used support book for the ITIL exams. It replaces Foundations of IT Service Management based on ITIL (still available, used as a reference for the Version 2 Foundation exam.)
ITILv3 Refresh
ITIL was last updated in 2000, and an update (or 'refresh') project has now been initiated, and the Official ITIL Lifecycle Publication Suite became available from 31 May 2007. The objective of the refresh is to ensure that ITIL continues to provide up-to-date and useful best practice guidance as technology continues to evolve. You can also now order and take delivery of the ITILv3 (the 'refreshed ITIL') Official ITIL Lifecyle Publication Suite in a wide range of formats to suit your requirements.
ITIL Certification for organizations
ITIL is a library of best practice guidance, not a specification. As a result, it is not possible for an organization to be 'ITIL-certified' - there is no ITIL specification against which an external audit could be conducted.
ISO/IEC 20000:2005 has emerged to fill this gap for organizations. It is a two-part standard against which an organization can have its IT Service Management processes externally assessed.
ITIL Certification for individuals
ITIL certification for individuals and practitioners is supported by a structure of examination and certification. Examination and certification in Europe have been managed through two independent bodies: ISEB, the Information Systems Examination Board, and EXIN, the European Examination Institute for Information Science. Between them, these organizations controlled the entire certification scheme. With the publication of ITILv3, a new ITIL certification scheme is emerging.
The three levels of individual ITIL certification are:
- ITIL Foundation Certificate,
- ITIL Practitioner’s Certificate, and
- ITIL Manager’s Certificate.
ISEB- & EXIN-accredited distance learning options are ideal for all who prefer to learn in their own time and at their own pace. Other options include classrooom training for those who can afford the time, travel and expense and who prefer classroom-based learning.
For the Foundation certificate, both distance learning and classroom training options should be supported by our unique ITILv3 Foundation Starter Kit, which includes the ITIL Foundation Exam Guide.
In the United States, HDI also manages examination and certification there as well as internationally. (The HDI guide to implementing ITIL is another key book). All these organizations guarantee that personal certification is fair, honest and independent of the organizations that provide the training, and they accredit training suppliers in order to bring about a consistent quality in course delivery.
ITIL® is the most widely used IT framework today. These two worldwide best sellers are helping organizations everywhere with their ITIL strategies!
Relationship between ITIL®, IT Service Management and ISO 20000
There is a practical relationship between the various books and guides to ITIL , IT Service Management, and ISO/IEC 20000, as shown below:
Although they are integrated, ITIL and the ISO 20000 series serve different purposes. Primarily, the ISO 20000 series is to provide an independent best practice standard that is suitable for independent third-party certification audits.
The purpose of ITIL is to provide advice on best practices in IT service management. It includes options that may be adopted and adapted by organizations according to business need, local circumstances and the maturity of the service provider. ISO 20000 sets the standards that service management processes should aim for. Here is an official guidance paper, by Jenny Dugmore and Sharon Taylor, on the relationship between ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000.
Service Level Agreements
Service Level Agreeements (or SLAs) are at the heart of ITIL and are used to describe agreed levels of service between a service provider and a customer - and are applicable both inside and outside an organization.
ITIL Beginner's Guide
Where do you start, if you're new to ITIL ?
Firstly, ensure that you use only genuine ITIL® books, courses and tools. The ITIL Certification Management Board (ICMB) is committed to enforcing Crown Copyright in the ITIL® trademark and library, and to protecting the integrity of the OGC's official ITIL publications. Unofficial publications, websites and toolkits are not guaranteed to align with ITIL best practice and, in tackling ITIL , you don't want to waste time using non-aligned, unaccredited books, courses or toolkits.
There are a number of practical starting points:
- The first for ITIL version 2 is Foundations of IT Service Management based on ITIL, or for ITIL version 3 - Foundations of IT Service Management based on ITIL v3.
- The second (for ITILv2) is the itSMF series of Pocket Guides. The Complete Set of the itSMF Pocket Guides, which are aligned with the core ITILv2 publications, is an ideal starting point for the busy executive.
- Our unique ITILv3 Foundation Exam Starter Kit combines all the introductory texts and provides comprehensive preparation for the Foundation Certificate.
For smaller organizations, ITIL: Small Scale Implementations is, in addition to the other titles, a must-have guide to realising the benefits of ITILv2 in smaller organizations.
Become a leader in the ITIL field by using our tools and books to build your ITIL expertise.
