The British Government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency developed ITIL in the 1980s, and it comprised 30 books. All 30 books were developed and released over time. The British ITIL encapsulated best practices of information technology collected by many sources around the globe. For example, IBM said that its four-volume book on systems management concept, known as the “Yellow Book,” was an essential source of input for the original ITIL book.

In April 2001, CCTA and many other agencies gathered in the Office of Government Commerce, which is also called Cabinet Office. To work with the UK, the OGC adopted the project as part of its mission. The mission involved using the public sector to achieve efficiency by using the value for money in commercial activities. Thus, the strategy let to the improved rate of success in the delivery of projects and programs.

From 2013 to the date, the ITIL owner is Axelos. The original 30-book version has gone through many revisions, and the latest ITIL v4 was launched in 2019.

Understanding IT Infrastructure Library

The ITIL is a library of data volumes describing the process of best practices for delivering IT services. In history, ITIL has gone through many revisions, and currently, it comprises five books. The exciting bit is that each book covers different processes and different stages of lifecycle related to IT services.

Principles of IT Infrastructure Library

The ITIL V4 is a derivative of 9 important principles that span from communication, measurement, metrics, and change management. The nine major principles of ITIL are:

• Value-Focused Solutions

• Experience centric design

• Begin from where you are

• Adopt Holistic Working Approach

• Connect and Collaborate

• Record Progress in iterations

• Keep things simple

• Adopt transparency

• Be a direct observer

ITIL Qualification Exams and Certifications

IT Practitioners who wish to qualify themselves as ITIL experts have two examinations and certification options:

• The ITIL Managing Professional Exam which consists of 4 modules

• The ITIL Strategic Leader Exam which comprises only two modules

Both these exams differ based on the extent of accreditation they grant to the practitioners.

ITIL Usefulness for Organizations

Organizations can obtain the following benefits for their IT service provisions by adopting ITIL:

• Lesser IT Costs

• Better IT Services backed by proven practices

• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction using a professional approach

• Set Standards and Guidance for all

• Productivity boosts because of the better use of skills and experience

• Better delivery of third-party services

In Short

ITIL accreditation and incorporation is more of a life-saving and money-saving aspect that works in the long run rather than a burden on any organization’s budget if it is implemented correctly.