ITIL© (the IT Infrastructure Library), is the most widely used process driven framework in the field of service management today.  It’s been around since the mid to late 80’s and it’s all about how to deliver effective and efficient services.  Since its inception, ITIL has been adopted by about 90% of the Fortune 500 companies in the world (AXELOS presentation November 2018).

In the 80’s, it was all about how IT could use a process to better deliver services to the organization.  Fast forward to today and everything is about delivering services inside and outside of the business.  It’s what makes or breaks a company.  So why do Project Managers Need ITIL?

1. All Project Managers service customers – internal and external. ITIL enables Project Managers to better align the services they deliver to the needs of the businesses and customers it supports.
2. Project Managers need to earn PDU’s in order to maintain their PMP Certification. PDU’s are available for completing study in ITIL.  What better way to stay current?
3. ITIL is so widely adopted that having a minimum of the ITIL Foundation Certification will enable Product Managers to find themselves more qualified for promotions and exciting new jobs.

The current ITIL version is V3.  V3 is made up of 26 processes.  ITIL 4 is being released Q1 2019 and expands on ITIL V3 to address the delivery of services in the digital age.  If your organization is currently V3 centric, then the V3 Foundation Course will give you the understanding you need to start your journey into ITIL.   ITIL 4 will release in Q1 of 2019 and it will be the next step to understanding how your organization can benefit from a process-driven framework.  We expect that most V3 organizations will stay V3 through 2019 as ITIL 4 will be released throughout 2019.

Once ITIL 4 is released, organizations will need to train their people on ITIL 4 in order to best determine how to adopt and adapt it into their organization.  The ITIL 4 Foundation course will be released Q1 2019.  It is a great way for ITIL Certificate holders from Foundation to Expert to come up to speed on ITIL 4. The remainder of ITIL 4 courses will release the second half of 2019.  Gaining an understanding of ITIL 4 in 2019 is going to be important in helping your organization prepare.  We expect the ITIL V3 to ITIL 4 migration will begin in the 2020 timeframe.

Moral of the story?  ITIL is here to stay and if you are a Project Manager, there is tremendous benefit to achieving ITIL Foundation Certification.

I was speaking with some ITIL Experts last week and they asked me if there is any value in someone getting V3 certified since ITIL 4 releases in 2019. Here is my answer. Take a look and let me know your thoughts.

First off, great question. There is a lot of confusion over the ITIL 4 release as many of the details are still under wraps. From a 10,000 foot look we all know that we live in a world of updates and change does not happen overnight. Companies have infrastructures and processes and systems in place and they don’t throw them away when a new version is released. And most new versions include key elements of the current version, so the baby is not being thrown out with the bath water.

ITIL V3 Is Alive & Well

Right now, ITIL is V3.  V3 is alive and well and will be maintained until at least June 2020.  The ITIL 4 Foundation is being released Q1 2019 – or sometime in the next 4 months. The remainder of the ITIL 4 courses are scheduled to be released sometime June 2019 to December 2019.

Migration Game Plan

If I were new to ITIL and had funds for exams, I would get V3 Foundation and ITIL 4 Foundation Certified.  ITIL V3 Foundation is required for many positions and I don’t see that requirement going away for the next 12 months minimum. ITIL 4 Foundation is new and takes ITIL to the next level and if I wanted to be fully prepared to help my company transition from ITIL V3 to ITIL 4 or have certifications that helped me stand out, get promoted or get a new job, then I would get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified too. If I was already ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, I would get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified for the same reasons.

For the more advanced V3 certificate holders I would come up to speed on ITIL 4 by reading the book when it is released or taking a class. In my opinion there is no need for advanced certificate holders to get the ITIL 4 Foundation certificate. Advanced ITIL 3 Certificate holders (17 V3 credits or more) will be able to take the ITIL 4 Managing Professional transition course when it is released second half of 2019 and achieve the new ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification.  This enables individuals with 17 or more ITIL V3 credits to take 1 course instead of 4 to become ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certified. If you are on your way to 17 credits in ITIL V3, keep going as it will allow you accelerated access to the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification.

I hope this article has been informative. If you have any questions, we are here to help.

 

1. The sale begins today so you don’t have to interrupt Thanksgiving to SAVE BIG.

2. You don’t have to wait outside in the cold and get pushed and shoved by thousands of people to get this deal.

3. When your boss comes in and asks you what ITIL is all about, you will know the answer.

4. When ITIL 4 is released the price will be 4x more expensive because it is new and training companies will not need to discount.

5. ITIL credentials look great on your resume and help with raises and promotions.

AND – Click Here to secure your ITIL 4 Foundation Voucher during during the Black Friday 2018 Sale!

Not sure what to do with ITIL?  Stay with V3?  Wait for ITIL 4?

With the release of ITIL 4 Q1 2019, we are getting a lot of questions about ITIL V3 Certifications and the best way to move forward.  In this blog we have addressed the questions we are receiving and provided some suggested paths for moving forward.  As always, if you have questions, contact us as we are happy to help.

Status of ITIL V3

It’s important to remember that ITIL V3 is alive and well.  The core elements of ITIL V3 are part of ITIL 4 and all V3 certifications will be available and run concurrently with ITIL 4 through June 2020.

ITIL 4 Release Dates

ITIL 4 Foundation will be the first course released in Q1 of 2019 and the remainder of the ITIL 4 certifications have been promised to be released by AXELOS second half of 2019.  Depending on where you are in the process, many of you will want to continue on your ITIL V3 path as there is plenty of time to master V3 content before you enhance it with the new ITIL 4 focus on digital transformation.

What’s the Best Path for ME?

If you are not sure what to do we have worked with AXELOS and PeopleCert to create 3 solid ways for you to gain relevant ITIL V3 certifications and transition smoothly into ITIL 4.  Have the best of both worlds and don’t get left behind!

• ITIL V3/ITIL 4 Foundation Path– this path is designed for students interested in the Foundation Certification.  In this path you get access to the fully Accredited ITIL V3 and ITIL 4 Foundation courses and 2 exam vouchers.  ITIL V3 is full of very solid information and very valuable to organizations and very important for individuals in IT looking to grow their salary or get a new job.  With this package you get lifetime access to the ITIL V3 Foundation course, the ITIL 4 Foundation course and 2 ITIL Foundation Exam Vouchers.

• ITIL Managing Professional Path– ITIL 4 has created a transition path for ITIL V3 professionals with 17 or more credits.  These individuals, due to their ITIL V3 training accomplishments, get to bypass the 4 course requirement to become ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certified.  If you are on your way to achieving 17 credits or more in ITIL V3, then this is the path for you.  In this path you get access to all 12 fully Accredited ITIL V3 courses and the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition Module which allows you to sit for the Managing Professional Exam.

• ITIL Everything – want it all?  Want to continuing mastering all the great content in ITIL 3 before you add on the digital focus of ITIL 4?  If you answered yes, then the ITIL Everything is the program for you.  The ITIL Everything gives you all 12 ITIL V3 courses including Practitioner and Expert and all 6 ITIL 4 courses.  This gives you all the knowledge and wisdom included in V3 all the way to Expert and the ability to achieve all 6 ITIL 4 Certifications and achieve the ITIL 4 designations of ITIL Managing Professional and ITIL Strategic Leader.

Are you ready for ITIL 4? ITIL 4 Foundation will be released in Q1 2019. If you are an ITIL V3 Certificate holders that does not want to be left behind, enter to win a Free Accredited ITIL 4 Self-Paced Foundation Course from GogoTraining today. Click Here and Enter to WIN a FREE ITIL 4 Foundation Course Today.

Contest Rules:

• 1 entry per person
• Full name and email must be provided to enter the contest
• For every 10 entries into the contest 1 accredited ITIL 4 Foundation course will be awarded
• Contest is open through November 30, 2018.
• Winners will receive 30 Day Access to the GogoTraining PeopleCert Accredited ITIL 4 Foundation Course – release date Q1 2019.
• AXELOS Core Guidance – Fundamentals Book is not included

AXELOS decided to update ITIL.  In so doing they changed the certification flow and the names of all the courses and the certifications which makes everything a bit confusing.  In this blog we will do our very best to clarify what this all means and give you some things to think about.  Know that we are offering a free ITIL V3/4 assessment to help students understand what this change means to them directly so feel free to Contact Us at any time.

Summary View

• Number of courses:
  • ITIL V3 offered 12 courses
  • ITIL 4 offers 6
    • ITIL Foundation
    • ITIL Managing Professional – 4 courses
    • ITIL Strategic Leader – 2 courses (1 overlaps the MP track)
• How does ITIL V3 map to ITIL 4?
  • ITIL 4 is retaining many of the core elements of ITIL V3, however there are no direct like-for-like modules between the two certification schemes.
• ITIL V3 and ITIL 4 Key Dates
  • ITIL V3 courses and certifications are available through June 2020.
  • ITIL 4
    • Foundation will be released Q1 2019
    • ITIL 4 Managing Professional (MP) – 4 courses
    • ITIL 4 Strategic Leader (SL) – 2 courses (1 overlaps the MP track)
    • ITIL Master – no details available
• What do we know today?
  • ITIL 4
    • The ITIL 4 Foundation course will be available Q1 2019 and there is no bridge. This means that if you hold your ITIL V3 Foundation or you are new to ITIL you will need to pass the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam to be ITIL 4 Foundation Certified.  You do not need to take an ITIL 4 course to sit for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam, however taking an accredited course is highly recommended.
    • AXELOS recommends 12 hours of training time to prepare for the exam
    • The ITIL 4 Foundation Publication will be released before Q1 2019.
    • None of the advanced ITIL 4 courses will be released until the second half of 2019.
    • Advanced publications will be released sometime between June and December 2019.
    • There is no release date set for the ITIL Master designation at this point
    • A transition module for individuals with 17 or more ITIL V3 credits will be released second half of 2019. This module will allow individuals with 17 or more ITIL credits to take 1 course and 1 exam to become an ITIL 4 Managing Professional (MP).

What do I do if I am new to ITIL?

• If you work for an organization that requires you to become ITIL Certified, ITIL V3 content is solid and will help you now and with ITIL 4 once it is available.  Remember, ITIL V3 certification is active until June 2020 or for 20 more months.  ITIL V3 is not going away.
• If you are new to ITIL and need to be trained now, take the ITIL V3 Foundation course and certification exam.
• If you are new to ITIL and want to become Foundation certified, but have no pressing need to do so right away, wait until Q1 of 2019 and get your ITIL 4 Foundation Certification.

What should I do if I have ITIL V3 Intermediate Credits, But am not at 17 Credits Yet?

• ITIL V3 Intermediate courses are full of good solid information.  If you are working towards Expert go ahead and continue.  With 17 or more ITIL V3 credits you only need to take the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition Module to become an ITIL 4 Managing Professional.   That means you take 1 course and exam instead of 4 courses and exams – very good deal.
• So if you are on your way to getting ITIL V3 advanced certifications, feel comfortable continuing.  Right now all we have is ITIL 4 Foundation being released Q1 and a promise of the remainder being released June 2019 to December 2019.

We’ve been getting questions recently on using older ITIL Certificates (ITIL V2) to qualify in the current ITIL Scheme so here is the scoop:

ITIL Foundation Certificate Holder

If you have an ITIL V2 Foundation Certification and did not take the ITIL Foundation Bridge course that is no longer offered, then you have to take the current ITIL Foundation Exam in order to be ITIL V3 Certified and post the ITIL Foundation qualification next to your name.

ITIL Service Manager Certifications

If you hold the previously offered ITIL Service Manager Certificate and want to take any of the ITIL Intermediate examinations, then you are required to pass the current ITIL Foundation examination before you can take any of the ITIL Intermediate examinations.

If you hold the ITIL Service Manager Certificate, and your goal is to get to ITIL Expert then after you pass the current ITIL Foundation exam you will need to take these courses to attain ITIL Expert Status.

• Service Strategy
• Continual Service Improvement
• Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)

Holders of the old ITIL Practitioner certificates can also enter the current ITIL Certification scheme. To learn more about it, click here.

If you have any questions or we can help in any way call us at 877.546,4446 or email us at customerservice@gogotraining.com.

Good News!  AXELOS and PeopleCert have just announced that your current ITIL certifications will remain valid following the ITIL 4 Update.  Other than that bit of news, there is nothing more to report.  Throughout the rest of the year AXELOS will be sharing what they are doing and getting feedback.  A major announcement is expected from AXELOS in August 2018.  The bottom line:

• If you hold current ITIL Certifications – your certificates will remain valid
• If you are needing to get trained – go ahead as all certificates will remain valid

We will update you as more news is released.

If you have specific questions, send them to customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446.

There has been a lot of talk about ITIL V4. Questions surrounding ITIL V4 include how it will affect current ITIL Certificate holders, when it will be released and what it will cover. In this blog we will address each of these questions.

What is ITIL V4?

The ITIL V4 update will address how ITIL works and co-exists with other practices such as DevOps, Agile and Lean. The core elements of ITIL are expected to remain the same.

How Will V4 Affect Current Certificate Holders?

If you currently hold ITIL Certificates or plan on getting them this year, all is good. All current certifications will be recognized.

When Will ITIL V4 Be Released?

Axelos announced that the first release of ITIL Version 4 will take place Q1 2019 (January to March 2019).

What Will Be Released?

It is expected that the first release will be ITIL Foundation. AXELOS has stated that the core material will remain and new materials on the integration of ITIL with DevOps, Agile and Lean will be added.

Do I Need To Hold Off On My ITIL Training?

If your organization uses ITIL or you are looking to have the right certifications to get your next job, getting ITIL Certified (Foundation, Practitioner, Intermediate or MALC) now is fine. As noted above, AXELOS is planning to add information to the current framework to bring it into a world where it operates with other practices like DevOps, Agile and Lean. The core framework will remain the same so if you need to get certified, you can do it now.

We will continue to bring you updates as they occur. If you have any questions, you can reach us at 877.546.4446 or customerservice@gogotraining.com.

What is ITIL?

ITIL is an acronym for the Information Technology Infrastructure Library that was created in the 1980s by the UK Government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency. The agency understood that a set of standardized service management practices was necessary to align service management delivery from one agency to another. What started out as a set of recommendations grew into ITIL V1. ITIL has had several versions with V1 arriving in late 80s, V2 in late 90s, V3 in 2007 and then ITIL 2011. ITIL is currently undergoing another revision to include how ITIL relates to other frameworks and standards including Agile, DevOps, Lean, ISO 20000 and more.

Who Uses ITIL Today?

The figures vary. In Europe it is suggested that up to 70% of European business leaders consider ITIL a must have in their organizations . Outside of the UK the number of organizations that have adopted and adapted ITIL is estimated to be around 33%.

Why Do Organizations Adopt ITIL?

When organizations adopt and adapt ITIL, they ensure that their services are delivered according to well defined best practices that allows them to increase customer satisfaction and better manage their processes and reduce costs.

ITIL Certification Salaries

No doubt certifications assist in higher paying jobs and raises. Most report that holding an ITIL Foundation Certification can jump your salary $5,000 to as much as $13,000. The 2016 Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report shares that the average salary for ITIL-certified professionals ranges from $92,000 to $105,842 and that more than 90 percent of respondents to their survey reported their average salary with an ITIL Foundation certificate exceeded $98,000.

How to Get ITIL Certifications

#1 – ITIL Foundation

You start with the Foundation Certification. It is a TON of information. There is no requirement to take an accredited course to pass the exam, however it is HIGHLY recommended. The exam is 100% on the content in the course. When you take an Accredited ITIL Foundation course then you know for sure you are getting all the info you need to pass. Courses are available live at training organization location, live online and On-Demand to give you ultimate flexibility.

#2 – What Next After ITIL Foundation?

After ITIL Foundation Certification you can go on to become ITIL Practitioner Certified or move into the ITIL Intermediate courses.

ROUTE 1 = ITIL Practitioner

This is a relatively new certification that was released about 2 years ago and it is the only course out of 12 that actually shows students how to adopt and adapt ITIL. ITIL Practitioner like ITIL Foundation has no formal training requirement, however, it has the lowest pass rate of all 12 exams. There is a great deal of knowledge and practical experience required to pass this exam and we do not recommend students take this exam without having (1) taken the ITIL Practitioner course and (2) taken at least one of the ITIL Intermediate courses. The exam requires you to adopt and adapt what you learned. It is not repeating concepts. It is the most expensive ITIL exam retailing at $469 from PeopleCert.

Route 2 = The ITIL Intermediate Path

This is the second option and the more common path following ITIL Foundation Certification. AND – YOU MUST hold an ITIL Foundation certificate to take these exams. To take any of these exams you MUST have taken an Accredited Course and hold a Certificate of Completion. The Intermediate series is made up of 9 courses split into a Lifecycle track and a Capability track. You can stick with one path or mix and match from the both.

i. Intermediate Service Lifecycle Courses – Managers take this path

1. Service Strategy
2. Service Transition
3. Service Design
4. Service Operation
5. Continual Service Improvement

ii. Intermediate Capability Courses – The people who do the work/implement ITIL take this path

1. Service Offerings and Agreements
2. Planning, Protection and Optimization
3. Release, Control and Validation
4. Operational Support and Analysis

#3 – Becoming an ITIL Expert

After Foundation and completing 17 credits in one of these paths or a combination of courses (some people like to mix and match), then the student has enough points to take the Managing Across the Lifecycle course (MALC) which allows them to sit for the MALC exam. You need a minimum of 17 credits to take MALC.

a. Foundation is 2 credits
b. Lifecycle course are 3 each
c. Capability are 4 each
d. MALC is 5

#4 – PeopleCert Certification Exam

Once you have prepared for an exam and hold the required Certificate of Completion for the Intermediate and MALC courses, then you are ready to purchase and take your exam. The official exam provider for all ITIL exams as of January 1, 2018 is PeopleCert. You can purchase your ITIL Exams from PeopleCert directly or from an Authorized Exam Organization. Exams can be taken at exam centers and Online so you can take them from the comfort of your home or office.

We hope this article on ITIL Certification has been informative and helpful. If you have any questions, we are here to help. You can reach us by phone at, 877.546.4446 or via email at, customerservice@gogotraining.com