ITIL Certifications: A Complete Introduction

ITIL® certification tops nearly every list of must-have IT certifications, and for good reason. As a framework for IT service management, ITIL can help organizations manage risk, increase productivity, reduce cost of service development and deployment, strengthen customer relations, and build an agile IT environment.

With that, you might be confused about how ITIL relates to ITSM, or what they even are in the first place. You may also be wondering what the rollout of ITIL 4 might mean for ITIL 3, as well as how that will affect those currently in the middle of certification in version 3. This complete guide on ITIL 4 certifications and other ITSM certifications and career paths will help you navigate these topics and more.

Download Now: ITIL 4 Best Practice e-Books

These all-new for 2020 ITIL e-books highlight important elements of ITIL 4 best practices. Quickly understand key changes and actionable concepts, written by ITIL 4 contributors.

ITIL and ITSM Explained

So, you ask, what is the difference between ITIL and ITSM? In short, ITIL is a set of rules and best practices for IT service management. ITSM is the entirety of all IT-related activities in an organization, including planning, designing, delivering, operating, and controlling. ITSM is customer-focused, with emphasis on measuring and improving processes.

ITIL is a framework for ITSM. The processes, tasks, and procedures that make up ITIL are intended to be integrated with the organization's strategy, so they are not organization-specific. Axelos currently owns ITIL, maintaining the ITIL framework and accrediting training and examination institutes. There are hundreds ITIL Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) with the certification exam administered at the end of the training course or by a partnering examination institute.

In spring 2019, Axelos introduced ITIL v4, a clear transition from the previous ITIL v3 structure to a newer one.

ITIL v3 lifecycle

ITIL v3 is divided into five core phases, each covering a different ITSM lifecycle:

ITIL v4 lifecycle

The key components of the ITIL v4 framework are the ITIL service value system (SVS) and the four dimensions model. The core components of the ITIL SVS are:

What is an ITIL certification?

ITIL certifications demonstrate that the candidate is educated in ITSM best practices, utilizing processes, terminology, and methods that are common in modern IT. ITIL-certified professionals are in high demand, as they possess the skills to grow and transform the business.

Why earn your accreditation or certification?

The benefits of earning your accreditation or certification are invaluable. With an ITIL certification, you can:

Benefits aren’t limited to the certified individual. Organizations see far-reaching advantages from adopting ITIL, including:

ITIL certifications

The most popular and important cross-platform ITSM certification, the ITIL certification scheme provides a modular approach to the ITIL framework and is comprised of a series of qualifications focused on different aspects of ITIL best practice to various degrees of depth and detail. This tiered structure offers flexibility for candidates relating to their specific focus of discipline as well as key areas of interest.

Candidates that are studying the ITIL v3 Foundation level are encouraged to move straight to ITIL 4. For those that are further in the ITIL v3 journey, you may stay on that path to build the skills you need. There are five certification levels within the ITIL v3 scheme:

Although ITIL v3 is still applicable, it will likely be discontinued years down the road, after the market transitions to ITIL v4. So, let’s explore the different certification levels that comprise ITIL v4.

ITIL v4 certifications

The first ITIL 4 certification to become available was the Foundation level, with the following levels due for release later in 2019 and in 2020. The ITIL v4 certification scheme is aligned with ITIL v3 and has been streamlined to provide clear paths for practitioners to continue their ITIL journey. There are four certification levels within the ITIL v4 scheme:

ITIL Foundation

The ITIL 4 Foundation certification introduces the ITIL framework and enables candidates to look at ITSM through an end-to-end operating model for the creation, delivery and continual improvement of tech-enabled products and services. The certification can help candidates who require a basic understanding of the ITIL framework, want to use ITIL to enhance ITSM, or those whose organization has adopted ITIL.

Those who earn a certification in ITIL 4 Foundation will understand the following:

ITIL 4 Managing Professional

ITIL 4 Managing Professional (ITIL MP) follows four different modules:

ITIL 4 Strategic Leader

ITIL 4 Strategic Leader (ITIL SL) is a stream of two modules:

ITIL Master

The ITIL Master certification validates the candidate's ability to apply the principles, methods, and techniques from ITIL in the workplace. To earn ITIL Master certification, you must be able to explain and justify how you personally have selected and applied a range of knowledge, principles, methods, and techniques from the ITIL Framework and supporting management techniques to achieve desired business outcomes in one or more practical assignments.

This certification does not have a fixed syllabus or training course as each candidate will have different experiences that are highly personal. To be eligible for the ITIL Master certification, candidates must:

AXELOS will release more details on ITIL 4 Master in late 2019.

ITIL certifications for digital businesses

ITIL certifications are some of the top IT certifications in the industry, with competitive salaries to match. Having an ITIL certification could be the first step in landing a job, obtaining a promotion, or advancing your career to the next level, especially if you are considering becoming CTO or CIO.

Many organizations are already beginning to adopt ITIL for their business, are you ready to join them? If so, the BMC Certification Program from BMC Education Services offers a full range of ITIL courses in addition to complete ITSM courses offering participants validation in technical competencies and expertise so you can effectively plan, deploy, and support solutions from BMC.