ITIL® 2007: Release, Control and Validation - APMG Accredited

Course Description

GogoTraining is an ITIL® accredited ATO and this course fulfills all requirements to sit for your exam.

The course builds on the general principles covered in the ITIL® Foundation course. It covers the process aspects of Release, Control and Validation from a practical perspective, specifically in the following key ITIL process and role areas:

• Change Management
• Release and Deployment Management
• Service Validation and Testing
• Service Asset and Configuration Management
• Knowledge Management
• Request Fulfillment
• Evaluation

For information on how to take your ITIL examination, see the certification section.

In This Course You Will Learn:

Candidates can expect to gain competencies in the following upon successful completion of the education and examination components related to this certification:

• The importance of Service Management as a Practice concept and Service Transition Principles, Purpose and Objective
• The importance of ITIL Release, Control and Validation while providing service
• How all processes in ITIL Release, Control and Validation interact with other Service Lifecycle Processes
• What are the processes, activities, methods and functions used in each of the ITIL Release, Control and Validation processes
• How to use the ITIL Release, Control and Validation processes, activities and functions to achieve operational excellence
• How to measure ITIL Release, Control and Validation
• The importance of IT Security and its contributions to ITIL Release, Control and Validation
• The technology and implementation considerations surrounding ITIL Release, Control and Validation
• Change Management as a capability to realize successful service transition
• Service Validation and Testing as a capability to assure the integrity and the quality of service transition
• Service Asset and Configuration Management as a capability to monitor the state of service transition
• Knowledge Management as part of enhancing the on-going management decision support and service delivery capability
• Request Fulfillment and Evaluation to assure meeting committed service level performance
• Release Control and Validation process roles and responsibilities
• Technology and Implementation Considerations
• Challenges, Critical Success Factors and Risks associated to ITIL Release, Control and Validation

Prerequisites

Candidates wishing to be trained and examined for this qualification must already hold the ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management (the v3 Foundation or v2 Foundation plus Bridge Certificate), which shall be presented as documentary evidence to gain admission to the examination.

It is strongly recommended that candidates read the ITIL Service Transition publication in advance of attending training for the certification; references to the book will be made during the course.

Candidates will find it helpful if they have at least two years experience in IT service management before taking the course.

Outline

Module 00: Course Introduction

Module 01: Introduction to RCV: Part 1

• Service Management as a practice
• Service, its value proposition and composition
• Functions and processes across the Lifecycle
• How service management processes are defined, and how they can be applied across the Service Lifecycle with different perspectives
• How Service Management creates business value

Module 02: Introduction to RCV: Part 2

• Scope of the Service Transition Lifecycle in relation to the RCV processes, its value to the business and how the RCV processes interact with processes within other Lifecycle stages
• Developing an effective service transition strategy
• The key initiatives that are important for an effective preparation for service transition
• The approach and best practices in planning and coordinating service transition activities

Module 03: Change Management: Part 1

• Purpose, goal and objectives of the change management process and its practical application within a business environment
• Scope of the Change Management process
• The business value of change management and some practical examples
• Change Management policies
• Design and planning considerations
• Exercise- Planning Change Management

Module 04: Change Management: Part 2

• Types of change request and describe them using examples by Service Lifecycle stage
• Typical activities of managing Changes and describe workflow of processing different types of change requests
• The methods and techniques associated with each major change management activity
• Exercise - Request for Change Form

Module 05: Change Management: Part 3

• The methods and techniques associated with each major change management activity - continued
• Exercise - Change Advisory Board Agenda

Module 06: Change Management: Part 4

• The Change Management process triggers, inputs, outputs and interfaces with other processes
• How Change Management can be effectively measured, and example of types of metrics and their applications
• Typical Change Management activities performed on a day-to-day basis during the Service Operation Lifecycle stage
• The relationship between Continual Service Improvement and organizational change
• Exercise - Change Management Process Measures

Module 07: Service Asset and Configuration Management: Part 1

• The objective, scope, purpose and goal of SACM
• The importance of SACM as a process to generate business value
• SACM policies, principles and basic concepts, activities, methods and techniques

Module 08: Service Asset and Configuration Management: Part 2

• The importance and use of Configuration Items (CIs)
• Tools, activity models, CMS back-ups and historical data

Module 09: Service Asset and Configuration Management: Part 3

• The use of a Configuration Management System (CMS), and its major components, in supporting the effective execution of SACM process
• The key SACM process activities, tools, models and deliverables for executing each of these activities
• Exercise - Configuration Plan and Configuration Documentation

Module 10: Service Asset and Configuration Management: Part 4

• The key SACM process activities, tools, models and deliverables for executing each of these activities - continued
• The considerations for retaining CMS back-up and historical data for business purposes
• How the SACM process can be effectively measured and examples of metrics and their application
• Typical SACM activities performed on a daily basis by Service Operation

Module 11: Service Validation and Testing: Part 1

• The purpose, goal and objectives of the SVT process
• The scope of the SVT process
• How policies can drive and support the execution of the SVT process, and practical examples of such policies
• Various test models, their objectives and test conditions and examples of validation conditions
• Exercise - Test Models

Module 12: Service Validation and Testing: Part 2

• Various validation and testing perspectives, their purposes and the stakeholder groups' requirements to be addressed
• The use of test levels and test models to help with building quality service deliverables during the early stage of the service development lifecycle

Module 13: Service Validation and Testing: Part 3

• The key activities of the SVT process, the underlying method and techniques in performing each step

Module 14: Service Validation and Testing: Part 4

• The SVT process triggers, inputs, outputs and interfaces with other processes
• The practices of maintaining test data and test environments in respect of changing test requirements
• How the SVT processes can be measured in terms of business value contribution and internal efficiency, and examples of metrics
• Exercise - SVT KPIs

Module 15: Release and Deployment Management: Part 1

• The purpose, goal, objectives and scope of the RDM process
• The RDM process triggers, inputs, outputs and interfaces with other processes

Module 16: Release and Deployment Management: Part 2

• The concept of a Release Unit, Release design options and considerations

Module 17: Release and Deployment Management: Part 3

• The concept of a Release Unit, Release design options and considerations continued
• The overall approach for RDM planning. Planning considerations such as pass/fail criteria. Release build and test, pilots, deployment, logistics, delivery and financial considerations
• Exercise - Defining levels of configuration for building and testing

Module 18: Release and Deployment Management: Part 4

• The overall approach for RDM planning. Planning considerations such as pass/fail criteria. Release build and test, pilots, deployment, logistics, delivery and financial considerations - continued
• The approach for developing a detailed plan for deployment
• Exercise - Deployment Planning

Module 19: Release and Deployment Management: Part 5

• The key steps for performing the actual transfer, deployment and retirement, verifying deployment and providing Early Life Support
• How information pertaining to service deployment should be recorded and maintained
• The challenges, risks and critical success factors pertaining to RDM

Module 20: Request Fulfillment

• The purpose and scope of Request
• How Request Fulfilment may help to establish a self- help service practice within an organization. Examples of service requests that can be offered as standard services on the menu
• The difference between Request Fulfilment and Incident Management
• The relationship between Request Fulfilment and Release and Deployment Management, and how they interact with Service Asset and Configuration Management to handle pre-defined releases
• Challenges, risk and critical success factors pertaining to Request Fulfilment
• Exercise - Request Model

Module 21: Evaluation: Part 1

• The purpose, goal, objectives and scope of the Evaluation process
• Evaluation process terminology and typical evaluation workflow
• The intended and unintended effect of a Change
• Exercise - Key Evaluation Terms

Module 22 Evaluation: Part 2

• Factors for evaluating the effectiveness of a service design and Changes
• The evaluation of predicted service performance and actual performance and of risk management. How this can impact the course of actions for the overall service design / change evaluation
• Challenges pertaining to Evaluation

Module 23: Knowledge Management: Part 1

• The purpose, goal, objectives and scope of the KM process
• The business value of the KM process, in the context of service transition, and the benefits of deploying a Service Knowledge Management System using real-life examples

Module 24: Knowledge Management: Part 2

• The basic layers of the KM concept using the DIKW structure. Relationships between the layers
• What constitutes an effective KM strategy, and practical techniques for enabling knowledge transfer
• Effective data and information management for successful Knowledge Management
• Exercise - Knowledge Management

Module 25: Knowledge Management: Part 3

• Effective data and information management for successful Knowledge Management continued
• The stakeholder groups within the IT service management organization whose support is needed for effective knowledge management. Why their commitment and support are critical
• Various perspectives in measuring the value contribution of KM, and practical metrics for each of these perspectives
• The relationship between Continual Service Improvement and Knowledge Management

Module 26: Roles and Responsibilities: Part 1

• The key roles / functions responsible for executing each process step as related to Change Management

Module 27: Roles and Responsibilities: Part 2

• The key roles / functions responsible for executing each process step as related to Service Asset and Configuration Management
• Service Validation and Testing
• Release and Deployment Management
• Request Fulfilment
• Service Performance and Risk Evaluation activities
• Service Knowledge Management

Module 28: Technology and Implementation Considerations: Part 1

• The generic requirements for ITSM technology for implementing processes
• Evaluation criteria for technology and tools for process implementation
• Managing change in operations
• Service operation and project management
• Assessing and managing risk in service operation
• Operational staff in Service Design and Transition

Module 29: Technology and Implementation Considerations: Part 2

• How to plan and implement Service Management technologies
• The technology considerations for implementing the following processes and activities:
• Collaboration for process execution
• Configuration Management
• Knowledge Management

Module 30: Technology and Implementation Considerations: Part 3

• The technology considerations for implementing the Deming Cycle concept to perform self-monitoring and self-improving for all processes on a continual basis

Module 31: Exam Preparation: Part 1

• About the exam
• Exam documentation

Module 32: Exam Preparation: Part 2

• Analysing scenarios
• Studying sample questions
• Mock exam paper
• Taking your exam

Certification

To be eligible for the ITIL Intermediate Qualification: Release, Control and Validation Examination, the candidate must have fulfilled the following requirements:

• At least 30 contact hours (hours of instruction, excluding breaks, with an Accredited Training Organization (ATO) or an accredited e-learning solution) for this syllabus, as part of a formal, approved training course/scheme.
• There is no minimum requirement but 2-4 years IT Service Management experience is highly desirable.
• Hold the ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management or ITIL V2 Foundation plus the Bridging certificate.
• It is also recommended that students should complete at least 12 hours of personal study by reviewing the syllabus and the pertinent areas of the ITIL Service Management Practice core guidance, in particular Service Strategy, Service Design and Service Transition publications in preparation for the examination.

The ITIL Release, Control and Validation Exam is an 8 question multiple choice scenario-based exam and you may take up to 90 minutes to complete it. Each question will have four possible answer options, one of which is worth five marks, one which is worth three marks, one which is worth one mark, and one which is a distracter and achieves no marks. A passing mark is 70% or higher. You will need to submit your completed course transcript in order to apply to take the exam. You can do this by clicking on the Email Your Transcript link found on your ITIL Release, Control and Validation transcript page.

When you pass your exam you will receive TBD credits toward your ITIL Expert certification. This course also qualifies for TBD PDU credits.

EXAM LOCATIONS
You may take your ITIL exam through APMG or PeopleCert.

APMG: To take your exam with APMG send your course transcript along with full contact information (name, phone, email, postal address) to examinations@apmg-us.com. APMG will work with you to schedule your exam.  APMG offers web cam proctored exams and exams in local testing centers. Contact APMG at examinations@apmg-us.comto arrange for your exam.

PeopleCert: PeopleCert offers online proctored exams for all ITIL courses.  You can register online and within a few hours you can be taking your exam.  For more details, download the Candidate Web Registration.  To purchase your exam voucher go to https://webcandidate.peoplecert.org.