ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library)
Whether referring to private or public companies, all modern organizations understand the benefits that derive from IT-enabled business processes. However, only successful organizations realize the true potential behind aligning IT department objectives with general company objectives. This is because IT services management is not about technology, but about achieving company goals by using IT.

Infrastructure Library is a set of documents that offers recommendations which will help build a solid and organized framework for IT services management and infrastructure.

The major ITIL processes are presented as follows:
01. Service Level Management
02. Financial Management of IT Services
03. IT Services Availability Management
04. IT Services Continuity Management
05. IT Services Capacity Management
06. IT Services Support Center
07. Incident Management
08. Problem Management
09. Change Management
10. Service Implementation Management
11. Configuration Management
12. Security Management

ITIL Process description:

01. Service Level Management
Service Level Management is the process which ensures that the IT department acknowledges the services that it must deliver. This process creates the framework necessary for the IT department and the client to agree on a certain level of service. By continuously monitoring quality and regularity, this process also ensures that the IT department will consistently provide these services to the client.

02. Financial Management of IT Services
When the Service Level Agreement is established together with the client, a way of monitoring the cost of such services must be in place. Even if the IT department is not organized as a profit center, information regarding the cost of providing IT services is very relevant in planning but also in measuring service performance as an alternative to outsourcing, at the same level of service.
Financial Management of IT Services allows the organization to clearly determine the cost of its IT services.

03. IT Services Availability Management
This process ensures the availability of IT services in accordance with the established Service Level Agreement. Within this process, all IT service components are interconnected and managed in such a way as to ensure the full availability of services that must be delivered to the client.

04. IT Services Continuity Management
This process prepares for the worst case scenario, by investigating, developing and implementing recovery options in the case of service interruption. Establishing the elements that define “a disaster case” is also part of IT Services Continuity Management. These definitions must be integrated in any SLA.

05. IT Services Capacity Management
Capacity Management ensures that the appropriate means are available at the right place, time and price. Capacity Management optimizes the use and availability of resources in such a way as to ensure a consistent level of service towards the client. Such a process ensures that no unnecessary costs are incurred by the client and that resources are appropriately distributed in order to avoid any waste.

06. IT Services Desk
The company is in need of services that will enhance business process performance. When the client is unable to make use of IT services, he is unable to reach his organizational goals. IT services end-users need a single point of contact within the IT department. The IT Services Desk must become this single point of contact for all end-users, and the place where all questions, problems and requests are registered and handled. ITIL defines different types of IT Services Desks, depending on the skills and competencies of the people operating it:
               Call Centre
               Unskilled Service Desk
               Skilled Service Desk
               Expert Service Desk

07. Incident Management
The objective of this process is to ensure that the delivery of IT services towards end-users resumes as soon as possible, following any interruption of normal functioning. The process is based on symptom identification, and its major objectives are to comply with maximum response time and to ensure the continuity of business processes based on - or that make use of - IT.
Incident management uses information supplied by the Problem Management process (fast response and known errors) and the Configuration Management process (linking Incidents to Configuration Elements).

08. Problem Management
The objective for this process is to identify problems within the company’s IT infrastructure. Activities within this process include identifying problems, finding the solutions and implementing the necessary changes within the IT infrastructure, all at minimum risk.

09. Change Management
Change Management does not refer to implementing organizational changes at zero risk, but to achieving these changes at a minimum risk, or within the boundaries of an acknowledged and controllable risk.

10. IT Services Implementation Management
After the process of Change Management has prompted change approval, the changes are transmitted to the IT Services Implementation process. The latter is responsible for version control and ensures that hardware and software components go from development stage into production.

11. Configuration Management
This process keeps track of all configuration elements necessary to ensure IT services provision. Configuration elements include software, hardware, SLA-s, disaster recovery plans, policy, etc.

12. Security Management
Security Management ensures that all aspects linked to IT services security are permanently at guaranteed level. This also includes standards implementation, such as BS7799 (ISO 17799).