Finding your ITIL course to be somewhat challenging?  Don’t forget to use the ITIL glossary…

While most ITIL training / certification courses are designed to facilitate or streamline the learning process, that doesn’t change the fact that the ITIL itself is a very dense subject to absorb.  The simple fact of the matter is that even the most interested, intelligent and intuitive individual will encounter at least a few challenges with regards to the formalized study of ITIL.  This is of course, only natural; the ITIL is after all, a representation of the best practices and methods (for application to various IT infrastructure disciplines / duties), with some of the brightest minds in the IT field (of all time) having contributed to its content.  Luckily, there is a simple solution for any shortcomings you might have, the ITIL glossary.

Most people assume that the ITIL glossary is unnecessary or merely some form of useless bureaucratic reference; nothing could be further from the truth.  Despite the fact the official ITIL glossary is available as a free download; it is extremely useful and valuable.  It can be argued that it is an absolutely crucial accessory for those looking to pass their certification exam and / or absorb the inherent concepts of ITI.  Even those who seem to have no trouble with digesting the content of their ITIL program should keep their glossary on hand; if for no other reason than to maintain their forward momentum (should any discrepancy arise).

Those who will get the most mileage out of the ITIL glossary will be individuals who are new to ITIL, starting an IT career, or who simply find ITIL to be a confusing topic of study in general.  The latest version / edition of the ITIL (the 2011 edition) features a more cohesive design, as well as more balanced use of terminologies across the multiple volumes.

Many have said that ITIL 2011 is not only the superior example of what ITIL can / should be, but that it also truly facilitates the learning process for those seeing certification.  In past releases there were discrepancies with regards to the use of various terms and their meanings, the release of ITIL 2011 signifies an end to ambiguous terminology.  The 2011 edition truly is the best version out there, especially for those who might be new to ITIL as it features a new system of organization, making it easier than ever before to quickly find what you’re looking for.

When studying, it’s important to remember to never let unknown terms slip by.  As you progress through your chosen ITIL program you are essentially building a value chain of knowledge, if you are unable to correctly define certain terms early on, it will cause “weak links” to emerge in your “chain” later on.

This is yet another reason why you should always keep your glossary PDF / hard copy handy, just as a casual reference.  It’s also important to note that letting terms escape you will only create a situation whereby you will need to go back and relearn specific sections of your text(s).  The most efficient manner of study is to absorb things completely and comprehensively, if possible, on the first run through.

Along with practicing good study habits and remembering to keep your glossary handy, you also need to make sure that you choose a good quality e-learning program.  Ideally, your proposed ITIL e-learning course should be able to achieve several things:

• Create a plateau-like learning regimen whereby you learn in steps, with each “step” adding to your understanding of another, or “growing your knowledge base”.
• Portability – your ITIL course should be viewable on virtually any device, including, PC’s, Mac’s, laptops, Netbooks, tablets, and smartphones.
• It should be expertly designed by someone with experience in not only ITIL, but IT management in general.  You need to have a course designed by a guru; someone who knows how to facilitate your learning experience in order to maximize your retention / comprehension of the study material(s).
• Online / interactive materials to help you equate what you’re learning with real world situations and realistic career duties.
• Supplementary materials that are specifically designed to help you prepare for your certification test; in other words, post-training course recap / pre-test preparation.  It’s also important that these materials be in alignment with the most recent version(s) of any applicable certification examination as well.
• Affordability and long term value – Any e-learning program you engage should also be able to fit into your budget as well as imbue you with valuable knowledge that you can use throughout your career as an IT professional.

If your course(s) doesn’t / can’t achieve the aforementioned, you need to find one that can / does.  One of the most highly recommended providers of ITIL certification / training products is theartofservice.com.  They can provide you with everything on that list and at prices that are unbelievably affordable; check out their ITIL 2011 –related products here.

Good luck with your current or future ITIL training and certification, and don’t forget to use your glossary!

Examining ITIL 2011, through its Wikipedia entry

Who doesn’t love wikipedia with its plentiful bounty of knowledge?   However, despite its encyclopedic-like design and glossary-esque format, there are often things that may still be missing from various entries; this is especially true when it comes to ITIL.  For example, there’s no mention of how ITIL is positively impacting businesses and IT industries worldwide, or how individuals can benefit / profit from achieving personal certification.
Obviously, it’s also not Wikipedia’s duty to inform businesses or consumers about these kinds of developments, they are basically positioned to provide information on subjects once “the dust has settled”, so to speak.  However, as a current or prospective IT professional, you can’t afford to wait around for anyone to tell you what to invest your time and money in.  For instance, as you are reading this, some of your colleagues in the professional IT community are completing their ITIL certification program(s), placing themselves directly in line to receive your future salary increases / promotions.

But enough about potentialities, right now, let’s examine what wikipedia has to say about the latest ITIL release, 2011.

From the wikipedia site:

Changes and characteristics of the 2011 edition of ITIL
A summary of changes has been published by HM Government [3]. In line with the 2007 edition, the 2011 edition consists of 5 core publications – Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement. ITIL 2011 is a major update to the ITIL framework that addresses errors and inconsistencies.
There are 26 processes listed in ITIL 2011 edition and described below that shows which core publication provides the main content for each process.
Five volumes comprise the ITIL v3, published in May 2007 (2007 edition) and updated in July 2011 (2011 edition) for consistency:

1. ITIL Service Strategy[4]
2. ITIL Service Design[5]
3. ITIL Service Transition[6]
4. ITIL Service Operation[7]
5. ITIL Continual Service Improvement[8]

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While the details of this Wiki entry about ITIL 2011 are certainly factual (and informative), an even greater amount of attention could have been paid to how much “updating” took place.

The previous edition / build of ITIL (V3), was found to have a number of inconsistencies with regards to terminology/terminologies used across various volumes.  You simply can’t have coherency if certain terms take on different meanings in adjoining sections of text.  Additionally, it could be argued that people’s ITIL training, as well as understanding of the material, is placed in serious jeopardy when there is disagreement concerning terminology (which is, ironically enough, why we have sites like Wikipedia in the first place).   The significance of having these inconsistency issues cleared up (now) cannot be understated; can you imagine if they had been left unabated for the next several releases?

With the release of ITIL 2011, IT careerists finally have a version of the ITIL which is not only comprehensive and complete, but also concise, clear and complimentary.  For example, ITIL 2011 features a superior system of navigation / organization when compared with previous releases.   Likewise, great effort has been made toward the development of a more accurate and useful glossary; the release of the 2011 edition glossary represents a marked improvement.

If you are an IT professional that is realistic about what’s happening in your field, and serious about making sure that you’re ready for future challenges, you need to get your ITIL certification.  If you think that your schedule is too full, or perhaps you’re just too busy to handle any other responsibilities / commitments.  If this sounds familiar, why not consider the e-learning option?

What is ITIL e-learning, you ask?  When you enroll in an e-learning course for ITIL, your materials are “delivered” digitally, meaning, you can place your texts (usually PDF files) right on your desktop / UI.  Along with your texts however, you are also given access to various online / interactive components that will essentially “teach” the course materials.  It’s important to note that these “interactive online lessons”, if you will, are generally designed by very experienced and knowledgeable individuals, and are worth your time and money.  If a course is designed well, your ability to comprehend and absorb the material is increased exponentially; most ITIL e-learning programs feature brilliant course design.  In addition to textbooks and interactive elements, a good quality e-learning certification program should also include some kind of testing voucher/discount as part of a bundled offer (theartofservice.com is known for promoting quality bundled certification packages, which also happen to be very affordable)

The importance of ITIL certification is growing, not just within the IT community, but in the world of business as well.   Employers are beginning to see the inherent value that ITIL brings to their IT operations, and they want it.  Those with certification in ITIL, who are seeking employment, are in a perfectly poised position to take advantage of ITIL’s growing popularity among businesses.

To find your perfect ITIL 2011 certification package, click here.

One of the most important (yet overlooked) facets of ITIL is its glossary

While there’s certainly no question that the ITIL is a treasure trove of information for IT professionals, digesting the content of it might require some additional assistance in the form of a glossary.  The ITIL glossary is free to download and is available in multiple languages as well; it contains concise definitions for all the terms contained in the ITIL itself.  This is of course what all glossaries do – define things, right?  The ITIL’s glossary is slightly different however in that it can quickly and completely clear up any discrepancies that one might have while engaging in an ITIL certification program.  The bottom line is, regardless of your level of expertise, skill or perceptiveness, if you’re studying ITIL; you are going to encounter terminology that you won’t understand.  In this way, the ITIL glossary functions as a sort of key to unlocking the potential inherent in the ITIL itself.

While it is true that many in the IT community are intuitively resourceful and intelligent, approaching ITIL 2011 without the glossary, for example, would still be a mistake.  For instance, misinterpreting just one term can skew one’s understanding of an entire volume.

Below are a few of the most commonly misunderstood / misidentified terms found and used in the ITIL:

• Service catalog
• Major incident
• Service desk
• Operating level objective
• Service
• SLA
• Incident
• Workaround
• CAB
• Operating level agreement
• RFC
• SLM
• Known error
• Solution

Failing to understand the true meaning behind any one of these terms (or a host of others) essentially causes one’s overall understanding of ITIL to break down.  For example, if one doesn’t learn to differentiate between terms like Known error, Major incident, or Incident, one will not be able to apply effective solutions.  The difference between an Incident and Major incident is substantial; with the major incident being one that involves and / or compromises multiple departments / areas within an organization.  An incident, by comparison, is simply any event that happens which wasn’t supposed to, is perhaps counter-intuitive, or affects other elements / components.  If you were attempting to apply ITIL methods, naturally, you would want to address the major incidents first.   But this is of course, a simplistic example.

Aside from its obvious usefulness as a study aid however, the ITIL glossary is (arguably) also a necessary fixture of any ITIL-laden operation.  Sure, if one’s ITIL training is of a high enough quality (like what you will find here) you probably shouldn’t require a glossary once you’ve attained certification, but why take chances?  In fact, the ITIL glossary is a perfect compliment to most IT operations, whether their entire team is well-versed in ITIL or not.   Unless you become an ITIL fanatic and begin incessantly and tirelessly studying it, there will be gaps in your knowledge (this is only natural of course).  Perhaps the best way to visualize the importance of the glossary is to envision a trapeze show at a circus.  In this illustration, the act of studying and applying ITIL knowledge is the trapeze act / performance, given this comparison, the glossary could be equated with the safety net.  Do you need a safety net to put on a trapeze show?  No, you don’t, but it certainly makes much more sense to have one, and definitely facilitates practice and learning.

If you have yet to even begin exploring ITIL certification, there’s never been a better time to jump in.  Right now, ITIL e-learning and certification is extremely in demand, couple that with the fact that it is also very affordable and it’s clear that now’s the time to start looking for organizations that are offering certification in it.  One of the most highly recommended places to find your perfect certification package is theartofservice.com.  There, you will find a wide variety of supplementary professional development courses and materials covering an extensive set of topics which should appeal directly to those in the IT community (and their potential employers).  If you’re looking for a top-notch ITIL program, why not purchase one of their 2011 certification packages?

This particular package contains everything you need to ace your certification exam on the first attempt as well as prepare for various modern career challenges.   From 3 months of access and online exam preparation to receiving your own copy of the text and free testing voucher (cost of exam included in package price), you’ll be hard pressed to find a better or more sensible deal.  Additionally, the course itself is expertly designed to truly facilitate comprehension of material and understanding; everything you need to become certified is included.
To browse the entire list of ITIL 2011 e-learning products, click here.

¿Qué es ITIL? ITIL, se explica en términos relativamente simples

Cuando la mayoría de la gente oye o lee acerca de ITIL (por lo general a través de algún sitio de tecnología / blog) tienden a sentirse un poco intimidados por el tema. Esto es quizás debido a que podría imaginar ITIL como una agrupación infinitamente compleja de las políticas indescifrables… desgraciadamente nada podría estar más lejos de la verdad.

En todo caso, ITIL es una referencia metodología que es más que capaz de dar luz sobre las disparidades en la infraestructura de TI y operación. El punto es, cuando se aplica correctamente, ITIL puede ayudar a aclarar más los objetivos de cualquier persona, departamento de TI u organización. Y ofrecer a los empleados con una comprensión más completa de su papel actual y potencial.

ITIL significa Information Technology Infrastructure Library, es esencialmente una colección de las mejores prácticas para el establecimiento, gestión, modificación y mantenimiento de infraestructuras de TI tradicionales. ITIL es una herramienta tan poderosa porque se basa en el concepto de “integración continua”.

Lo que esto significa básicamente es que el marco de ITIL se compone de la información más actualizada en la industria, la investigación de muchos colaboradores y expertos alrededor del mundo. Todas las prácticas y métodos empleados e investigados respecto a la gestión de servicios están incluidos en las publicaciones de ITIL. Del mismo modo, si hay algún conflicto de interés entre la información entre los varios volúmenes de ITIL, los temas son continuamente tratados y rectificados.

Además, ITIL es comúnmente enriquecida y aceptada en casi cualquier tipo de organización, no se limita a la academia o la investigación de las grandes corporaciones. El punto es, si un individuo o grupo es capaz de presentar pruebas de que sus metodologías propuestas son válidas y útiles, el comité de ITIL sin duda va a tenerlo en cuenta.

De esta manera, ITIL no sólo sirve a los intereses de los distintos grupos de TI, sino que también fortalece el corazón mismo de las TI en todo el mundo, el resultado final de las cuales es que las innovaciones pueden llevarse a cabo a un ritmo más rápido. Es algo reconfortante pensar que un grupo de investigación dedicado al desarrollo de nuevos elementos para su uso en la infraestructura de TI utiliza el mismo marco referencia metodológica en su infraestructura de TI interna.

ITIL es también acerca de normalización. Es un hecho que la infraestructura de TI es un tema muy complejo y de múltiples capas, que históricamente ha sido construida sobre los éxitos de ensayo y de error de los participantes. Una metodología de referencia como ITIL existe para promover un movimiento de toda la industria hacia la normalización, en casi todos los aspectos. La creciente importancia de las TI para la empresa moderna simplemente no puede ser ignorada. La verdad es que la mayoría de las grandes empresas deben su éxito al trabajo y la innovación de su establecimiento de TI. Dada la importancia de TI para el negocio, sólo tiene un sentido lógico para tratar de establecer métodos para el logro de metas que pueden ser alcanzadas por todos los interesados.

Honestamente, todos debemos estar agradecidos de que ITIL es en gran parte una entidad pública, ya que si no se hubiese creado de esta manera, sería muy probable que algunas empresas privadas hubiesen desarrollado su propia metodología de referencia y la mantendrían oculta (quizás en un esfuerzo por crear un monopolio). Por supuesto esto es sólo suposición, pero el valor intrínseco de ITIL para el entorno empresarial moderno no se puede enfatizar lo suficiente. Imaginemos un mundo donde sólo un puñado de las corporaciones más ricas tienen acceso a la información contenida en el ITIL, las instituciones más pequeñas no sería capaz de competir en absoluto. ITIL es como una especie de hoja de ruta para la construcción de una mejor infraestructura global de TI. Como más y más instituciones comienzan la adaptación del conocimiento contenido en la ITIL, todo el estado de la industria de TI es elevado a nuevas alturas (con posibilidades aún mayores). Si usted es un profesional de TI, es absolutamente necesario que usted reciba algún tipo de certificación en ITIL.

No sólo hay ahora programas accesibles en línea que le permiten estudiar a su propio ritmo y en su tiempo disponible, hay múltiples opciones con respecto a un área específica o programa de estudio. Mientras que la motivación principal para la certificación en ITIL debe ser un conocimiento mayor y la comprensión de su carrera, también es importante mencionar que los empresarios y gerentes se sienten más confortables y pueden verse más impresionados cuando se encuentran con certificación ITIL en un curriculum vitae ‘.

Explore lo que ITIL tiene para ofrecer, haga clic aquí para empezar.

Who actually owns ITIL?

…That would (now) be the Cabinet Office, under direction of the OGC (which is also a division of the UK government)

Back in 2010 (and leading up until then as well), there was a slight controversy in the IT community concerning who has the precedent to control / manage the rights to the ITIL.  Detractors tend to view any intervention of the government or mandated copyright ownership(s) is without precedent.   However, we must also be able to look past ongoing squabbles over control issues in order to gain true clarity of understanding; the truth is, whoever owns (and has been controlling the progress and development of) the ITIL has done a satisfactory job.  This is evidenced by the fact that it is widely known and used.  Just look at the large number of businesses that are utilizing / have utilized ITIL to bring their long term goals to fruition.
Many people actually don’t realize that the ITIL is held under a “Crown Copyright”.  This is to say that Her Majesty’s Government actually owns the rights to all ITIL materials, and they are not public domain, as many tend to think.  However, despite copyright issues / concerns, the UK government is actually very gracious in the manner in which they allow virtually anyone to participate in the ongoing development of ITIL.

In fact, it could be said that if this government body had not elected to allow for worldwide participation and distribution, the ITIL wouldn’t be the powerhouse that it is today.  Once you realize that along with claim of ownership comes enormous responsibility (including investing large financial sums to ensure sustainability), it becomes apparent that this arm of the UK government might actually be doing us all a favor.

Here are the goals outlined by the OGC concerning how they manage materials and personnel:  (information taken directly from the UK national archives site – webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110822131357/http://www.ogc.gov.uk)

• Delivering value for money from third party spend
• Delivering projects to time, quality and cost, realising benefits
• Getting the best from Government estate
• Delivering sustainable procurement and sustainable operations on the Government estate
• Supporting the delivery of Government policy goals
• Improving central Government capability in procurement, project and programme management and estates

On the other side of the argument, it could be considered somewhat dangerous to allow governmental institutions to perpetually own industry-infrastructure critical intellectual copyright materials / resources such as the ITIL.  This is because such a large portion of the inherent material(s), including ongoing additions, actually comes from public sources.  However, once again, to say that the people responsible for managing the ITIL aren’t doing a satisfactory job is ludicrous.  Perhaps a better long term strategy for appeasing all involved parties would be to allow for gradual transfer of copyright to the public domain over an extended period of time?

Once again however, we must go back and examine how ITIL got started in the first place.  It was actually the UK government who approached the CCTA (central computer and telecommunications agency) in the 1980’s with the idea of developing a more consistent, efficient and thorough methodology resource for the use of IT assets.  At the time, this was done for the benefit of British-based (public sector) organizations; however, over time, the ITIL has been disseminated across the entire globe.

So, in many ways, the OGC is right to claim ownership over ITIL, simply because it was an idea born of a governmental organization.  Detractors have their valid points too however, because it is clear that the ITIL cannot remain inexorably attached to any one government forever.  On the other hand, virtually everyone in the IT community owes a debt of gratitude to this branch of the UK government which had the foresight to envision such a thing as ITIL in the first place.

If you’re reading this piece, it is likely that you are either already an ITIL initiate, or interested in becoming one, right?  The latest edition / release of ITIL (2011) is not only more comprehensive than ever, great care has also been put forth to ensure that it is the most organized and coherent as well.  For instance, the release of ITIL 2011 has marked the establishment of consistent terminology across multiple volumes.  This latest ITIL release is arguably the most readable and study-friendly of any previous release, and should make attaining certification a much more streamlined process.

Why should you certify in ITIL?  
In spite of world’s economic and employment troubles, the IT job market is fairly untouched and quite healthy.  While this is good news right now, it also means that more and more individuals are going to be pursuing careers in IT as well.  Regardless of whether or not these incoming candidates have experience in ITIL, you need it to “differentiate yourself from the pack”, so to speak.

Likewise, employers are turning to ITIL in droves to aid in providing solutions to tech-related business problems and servicing long term goals.  Additionally, many organizations see ITIL as an excellent system for measuring and maintaining a sensible cost-to-profit ratio.  Aside from remaining relevant and absorbing the best methodologies for use in servicing IT infrastructure, ITIL is also a gateway to an even greater understanding of one’s duties within any IT department.

If you want to get certified in ITIL 2011, click here for one the top e-learning programs around.