Service Management for Dummies®

Chapter 5. Implementing ITIL

In This Chapter

• Using ITIL V3 as a blueprint for enterprise service management

• Considering practical matters in implementing ITIL

• Understanding how ITIL integrates with other best-practices frameworks

So far in this book, we've defined a service, discussed the importance of managing a service, and enumerated the value of best practices in service management. We've also given you a brief overview of some of the important public standards and best practices − namely, best-practices models such as Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) and enhanced Telecom Operations Map (eTOM), as well as standards from the International Standards Organization (ISO). (Refer to Chapter 4 for more information on these models and organizations.)

In this chapter, we explore in detail one of the most comprehensive sets of best practices for service management: Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). We chose ITIL for this discussion in part because many of its best practices are now being adopted even beyond IT (such as in service provider operations) to help adherents align existing services with business objectives; to identify new service opportunities to support the business; and to successfully address the closed-loop planning, execution, and continuous improvement of these services.

Although ITIL is a set of published guidance books that you can simply download to your computer or view on the Internet (at www.itilsurvival.com/ITILBooksintheUS.html ...