Welcome to BrainBox, iQ's regular contribution to the fight against technological ambiguity. Joining us on this issue's jaunt down Clarity Street is ITIL, or the Information Technology Infrastructure Library.

The What?

Information Technology Infrastructure Library - or ITIL for short.

If you aren't familiar with ITIL already, chances are you've at least heard the term bandied around. However, in common with many people, you may not fully grasp and understand what it's all about.

The main reason for this is that if you were to ask 10 different people for a definition you'd likely get 10 equally different answers.

The reason for this, in turn, is that ITIL is actually several things at once:

• It is, as it says on the tin, a library of publications, resources, documents, processes, and functions
• It is also the international de facto standard for IT service management and the world's most widely accepted approach to that discipline
• It offers descriptive guidance on IT service management
• It is a best practice framework for the deployment and use of IT
• It is supported by a comprehensive qualifications scheme, accredited training organisations, and implementation and assessment tools.

Why is it important?
ITIL is all about delivering a range of tried and tested processes that ensure predictable, repeatable, reliable outcomes from your IT investments, and that, ultimately, ensure that the business gets what it needs from its technology deployments.

And it seems to work.

It is now universally accepted that ITIL adoption offers benefits including:

• Best practice
• Increased competitive advantage
• Cost reduction
• Greater business agility, flexibility, and efficiency
• Improved business and IT operational and goal alignment
• Enhanced internal customer and user satisfaction
• Improved use of IT investments with clear ROI
• Business value-driven performance and performance metrics.

How does it work?
ITIL relates to the delivery and management of IT Services in the context of the lifecycle of those services - right from initial conception through to retirement.

This lifeline incorporates stages entitled Design/ Transition/ Operation/ Continual Improvement with the ITIL Service Strategy lying at its core.

The earlier part of the portfolio is known as the Service Pipeline (which concerns IT services whilst they're still in planning and development). The later part is the Service Catalogue, which contains details of the services in use or being offered for use.

Who needs it?
According to the OGC, ITIL is aimed at IT service providers, IT directors and managers, and chief information officers.

But it can also be useful for business managers, and for customers and end-users looking to gen up and/or build stronger relationships with their IT providers.

Basically, any organisation that depends on IT Services ought to at least be aware of ITIL and - depending on its size, scope, and skills base - probably ought to have an ITIL-certified representative too.

How do they get it?
ITIL accreditation demonstrates that an individual has met a certain standard in Service Management as set by OGC's Official Accreditor, the APM Group.

This is supported by a global examination panel, made up of ITIL experts, and by examining bodies including APMG itself, EXIN, and ISEB

There are currently three levels of certification: