ITIL^® Intermediate Qualification:
Release, Control and Validation

What is this course about?

In this course, you learn how to plan, manage and optimize the release, control and validation processes. Through lectures, assignments, practice exams and review sessions, you gain the knowledge to take the ITIL Intermediate Qualification: Release, Control and Validation Certification Exam.

Who will benefit from this course?

This course is valuable for those who want to a detailed understanding of the achieve the ITIL Intermediate Qualification: Release, Control and Validation Certificate. This course is also valuable for those who need a detailed understanding of the release, control and validation processes, including CIOs, senior IT managers, IT supervisors and IT operation practitioners.

Which ITIL processes are covered in this course?

The ITIL Release, Control and Validation Certification syllabus covers the following topics:

• Introduction to release, control and validation
• Change management
• Service asset and configuration management
• Service validation and testing
• Release and deployment management
• Request fulfillment
• Change evaluation
• Knowledge management
• Release, control and validation roles and responsibilities
• Technology and implementation considerations

What background do I need?

You must hold the ITIL v3 Foundation Certificate, the v3 Foundation Bridge Certificate or the ITIL Expert certificate achieved via a bridging route. Two to four years of professional experience working in IT service management is highly desirable.

It is also recommended that candidates:

• Can demonstrate familiarity with IT terminology and understand the context of release, control and validation management in your own business environment;
• Have some experience of working in a service management capacity within a service provider environment, with responsibility relating to at least one of the following service management processes: change management, service asset and configuration management, service validation and testing, release and deployment management, request fulfillment, change evaluation, and knowledge management; and
• Complete a minimum of 12 hours of personal study by reviewing the syllabus and the pertinent areas within the ITIL Service Transition and ITIL Service Operation core guidance in preparation for the examination, specifically Chapter 2: Service management as a practice.

Does this course count toward the ITIL Expert certification?

Yes. Once you achieve the ITIL Intermediate Qualification: Release, Control and Validation Certificate, you earn four credits toward the ITIL Expert certification. To achieve the ITIL Expert certification, you need to earn a minimum of 22 credits.

To determine how many credits you currently hold within the ITIL scheme, you can refer to the Official ITIL Credit Profiler online tool. This tool can help you assess and decide on the best route for certification, while providing you the freedom to choose a selection of modules based on your own educational and certification requirements. It is available at http://www.itil-officialsite.com/qualifications/creditprofiler.aspx.

What is the ITIL refresh?

The five core publications of ITIL have been updated to reflect the evolution of best practices. The refresh is known as ITIL 2011 and is an update, not a new version. The changes are largely to improve clarity, consistency, correctness and completeness. Specifically, the five core publications were updated to do the following:

• Resolve any errors or inconsistencies in the text and diagrams, both in content and presentation,
• Address suggestions for change within the training community to make ITIL easier to teach, and
• Improve the publications by addressing issues raised in the change control log.

In addition, the ITIL Service Strategy publication was reviewed to ensure that the concepts are explained in the clearest, most concise and accessible way possible.

While the basic principles and concepts of ITIL remain the same, the supporting processes and practices are evolving so they continue to be relevant and useful in today's IT service management environment. Because the basic principles of ITIL are intact, ITIL qualifications remain relevant for any prior and current released versions.

Has this course been updated to ITIL 2011?

Yes. This course has been updated to ITIL 2011. ITIL 2011 is an update, not a new version, and the changes were largely to improve clarity, consistency, correctness and completeness.

I currently hold an ITIL v3 qualification. Will it still be valid?

Yes. Candidates who hold existing ITIL certifications will not need to become recertified. There are no plans to introduce any bridging examinations for the update, as the core ITIL process areas and principles have not changed significantly. There is no need to retake a certification exam, and all qualifications will continue to be recognized across the industry.

What changes were made to the ITIL Service Transition book for ITIL 2011?

The structure, content and relationships of the configuration management system (CMS) and service knowledge management system (SKMS) have been clarified to help the reader to understand these key concepts. There is new content explaining how a change proposal should be used. The evaluation process has been renamed change evaluation, and the purpose and scope have been modified to help clarify when and how this process should be used. The service asset and configuration management process contains additional content relating to asset management, and there are improvements in the flow and integration of a number of processes, including change management, release and deployment management, and change evaluation.

What changes were made to the ITIL Service Operation book for ITIL 2011?

Process flows have been updated or added for all processes including request fulfillment, access management and event management. Key principles, including guidance around service requests and request models, and proactive problem management, have been clarified. The publication has been updated to explain how basic events flow into filters and rule engines to produce meaningful event information. The relationship between application management activities versus application development activities is also clarified. Other clarifications include an expanded section on problem analysis techniques, coverage of procedure flow for incident matching, and further guidance for escalating incidents to problem management. In addition, the guidelines for managing physical facilities has been expanded.

How did the syllabus for this certification change for ITIL 2011?

The processes and functions covered remain the same. There are minor changes to the introduction section, which focuses more on the service transition aspects rather than generic IT service management concepts and principles. The process previously referred to as evaluation is now called change evaluation. There are some differences in the coverage of the processes of change management and release and deployment management. There are also changes to the recommended contact hours for each section.

What's the difference between the Lifecycle and Capability certificates?

The Lifecycle and Capability certificates comprise the two streams, or branches, of the ITIL intermediate-level qualification scheme.

The Lifecycle stream-which includes the service strategy qualification-consists of five modules or certifications. These certifications focus on the service lifecycle, the use of process and practice within the lifecycle and developing the skills needed to deliver quality service management practices in an organization.

The Capability certificates, which are made up of four modules, are geared toward those who want a thorough understanding of ITIL processes and roles. The primary focus is on activities, execution and use of the processes throughout the entire service lifecycle.

How much time is spent on each topic?

What kinds of activities are in this course?

Practical assignments, practice exams and other activities offer you multiple opportunities to apply recently learned concepts.

How much time do I have to take the exam and what's the pass score?

You have 90 minutes to complete the multiple-choice, scenario-based exam. You must correctly answer 70% of the answers to pass.

What is the relationship between Learning Tree, the APM Group (APMG) and the Cabinet Office?

Both Learning Tree and this course have been accredited by the APM Group. As an accredited training organization (ATO), Learning Tree and its trainers have been approved to deliver this course and invigilate ITIL exams. APM Group is responsible for providing the examination papers, and marking and notifying Learning Tree of the results. The five ITIL core manuals are part of a suite of guidance developed and owned by the Cabinet Office aimed at helping organizations and individuals manage their projects, programs and services.

Is this course applicable to a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification?

Yes. Although this course is not designed as preparation for the exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward PMI's PMP certification. For those who are currently certified, completion of this course counts as 30 professional development units (60 units must be completed every three years to maintain certification). For more details, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A.

If you are an experienced project manager intending to take the PMP exam, you should take Course 276: Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® Exam. In this course you learn essential PMBOK^® Guide terminology, tools and techniques. You gain practical test-taking experience through PMI-style practice exams and create your own personal study plan for continued use after the course.

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

The following Learning Tree courses are part of the ITIL Capability stream:

• 995: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Operational Support and Analysis 
• 997: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Planning, Protection and Optimization 
• 998: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Service Offerings and Agreements 

These courses are part of the ITIL Lifecycle stream:

• 982: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Service Strategy 
• 993: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Service Design 
• 992: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Service Transition 
• 991: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Service Operation 
• 994: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Continual Service Improvement 

These certification courses may also be of interest:

• 983: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Managing Across the Lifecycle 
• 3801: Achieving Change Analyst Certification within ITIL® Service Management 

If you're interested in identifying a structured and logical method for building an effective organization that supports and complements ITIL best practices, you may be interested in the following non-certification course:

• 3811: Putting ITIL® into Practice: A Roadmap for Transformation 

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