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Aug 17, 2012

ITIL 2011: Free Mind Map

Surprisingly lot of you people asked for my refreshed ITIL 2011 edition mind map.
Since you have seen pictures of it in my previous posts, you know I have it ;)   I've put it here for free download.


ITIL 2011 Mind Map
ITIL 2011 Mind Map

Mind you, this is still my working version, so please let me know if you find any typos or errors.




Of course, if you decide to dig deeper, I recommend buying a full set of books from TSO or Amazon.

Download my ITIL 2011 Mind Map here.

If you don't have a MindJet MindManager, you can have a look in flash here (it will ask you for a viewer installation). Hope you enjoy it!

Jul 10, 2012

ISO/IEC 20000:2011 Free Mind Map


For the last few months I have been working on an implementation of ISO/IEC 20000 with one of my customers. Quite a challenge, and it was a success! Before we started, I have created a simple MindMap with notes about requirements. So I decided to share it with you for free.

These are just short notes about structure and requirements, just to give you a quick picture on what to expect.

Of course, if you decide to hop on certification train, I recommend buying a full set of ISO/IEC20000 documentation, at least the requirements and guidance on the application of SMS which are published in 2011/12 edition.

You can download my MindMap for free here.

If you don't have a MindJet MindManager, you can have a look in flash here (it will ask you for a viewer installation). Hope you enjoy it!

Have a nice day.

ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011 Mind Map

Apr 18, 2012

ISO 9000 - ISO/IEC 27001 - ISO/IEC 20000: How do They Fit Together?

 -
With newly refreshed ISO/IEC 20000 alignment to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001, I thought it would be nice to have a set of more detailed information about relations between these three, all in one place.

Think, there is a great chance that a Service Provider aiming for 27001 or 20000 already implemented ISO 9001. And once we have two standards out of these three, how much more work is it to get the third one?

For new people here:

If a company already adopted a Quality Management mindset from 9001, then going either for 27001 (Information Security Management) or 20000 (Service Management) is a natural thing. Usually the order of implementation is determined by local market demand and governmental regulation of the core business (Financial organizations, Service providers, military...).

Implementation of ISO/IEC 27001 brings a significant market advantage to a Service Provider, since it is often a requirement in tenders, especially in European countries. It will make you care about security, both yours and of your customer. In the beginning it will feel a bit restraining, but for a good reason. It will significantly reduce risks of losing contracts due to information security reasons.

ISO/IEC 20000 requires a broad specter of implemented processes, but if you are a service providing organization with some experience and knowledge of ITIL (could it be otherwise?), then it shouldn't be a problem. It will only make you define neglected or less cared for aspects and Service Management processes.

Here is a simple diagram I use in presentations to communicate a quick win-win feeling to the audience:
Overlapping ISO 9001, 27001 and 20000
How ISO 9001, 27001 and 20000 overlap


And here is a table of more detailed relations.
ISO 9001 - ISO/IEC 27001 - ISO/IEC 20000 Mapping
ISO 9001 - ISO/IEC 27001 - ISO/IEC 20000 Mapping

This is still a working version of the table, but still pretty usable. Hope you enjoy it. If it displays too small for you when clicked on, you can copy it with rightclick and paste it to your favorite text or picture editor. Or, click here on my Google pages.

Apr 17, 2012

ISO/IEC 20000 Refreshed

As we all probably know, in February this year a new edition of ISO/IEC 20000-2 (Guidance on the application of service management systems) was published, following the last year's (April 15.) new edition of ISO/IEC 20000-1. Now that we have Requirements and Code of practice, we can talk more on what's new and how it fits in what we already have.

I would like to shortly outline main new moments that happened to ISO20k during last year.

First, as expected, standard is more mature and seasoned. After 5-6 years in production, bottlenecks and most of logic-defying points are corrected.

There are more requests (256 "SHALLs" vs. previous 170) but they are more reasonable, understandable and even somewhat less demanding then before.

Language is "internationalized", in a way that you don't have to be born in UK to understand most of it.

Also, terminology and content is made more compatible with ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 since these standards are likely to coexist in Service Support organizations.

ISO/IEC 20000 Process Schema
ISO/IEC 20000 Process Schema


Some changes reflect a shy alignment to ITIL 3, although the overall concept indicates major divorce from ITIL altogether. Prior to pre-release info, this was a subject of guesswork: is the new edition going to be aligned to ITIL V3? So we got our answer-a firm NO.  It would be difficult to align to ITIL's new 'I want to be all and encompass everything' philosophy. So ITIL is now more aligned to ISO20k then vice versa.

Additionally, ITIL is now lifecycle-oriented framework of best practices (or wannabe best :) and ISO20k is a process-oriented standard, so the intentions behind each one are basically different.

Clause 3 Terms and definitions now has 37 terms instead of 15 from previous edition. Two items are removed: service desk, and change record. Service Desk since it refers to a function, and ISO20K is process oriented with no other organizational references.  Change record probably to remove potential ambiguity with ISO9000 records.
  • Some additions to clause 3 are for additional compliance with ISO 9001: continual improvement, corrective and preventive action, customer, nonconformity etc.
  • Some other additions refer to ISO/IEC 27000 family: information security and information security.
  • Also a few are here to refer flirting with ITIL 3: service, service request, transition...
Previous clauses 3 Requirements for a management system and 4 Planning and implementing service management are now merged to 4 Service management system (SMS) general requirements. Introduction of SMS is the main indicator of alignment with ISO9000 (Quality Management System - QMS) and ISO/IEC27000 (Information Security Management System - ISMS).

ISO/IEC 20000 with number of SHALLs for every clausee
ISO/IEC 20000 with number of SHALLs for every clause


Former Incident management now became Incident and service request management, one of small concessions to ITIL 3.

A significant tribute to ITIL 3 is clause 5 Design and Transition of new or changed services. Which represents a serious chunk of 20k, but that's about it, if we are looking for an expansion of ITIL ISO20K love story.

There is no release module any more, and Release management is now in 9 Control processes, logically  together with it's sisters Change and Configuration management, now called Release and Deployment management, just to be sure everyone understands what is it all about.

Catalogue of services is not just a recommendation in part 2, it is required in clauses 4, 5 and 6.

Clause 4.2 Governance of processes operated by other parties is added in order to make SP demonstrate management of his external suppliers and internal business organizations which participate in service delivery.

These are the basic changes I've noticed. My opinion: ISO/IEC20000 goes in the right direction. Requirements are more mature and aligned with the real world. ISO20k is a very useful formal framework for service improvement, aligned with industry best practices. Especially when used in synergy with ISO 9000 and ISO/IEC 27000. If you are a serious service provider (as my company is), then 20000 is the way to go. It is good for you and your company too.

Apr 6, 2012

ITIL Continual Service Improvement

Continual Service Improvement
CSI is not strictly a lifecycle stage, since it spans through all four other stages. It is mainly a set of Quality Management skills put together to make better Strategy, Design, Transition and Operation. Therefore the main tool is Deming's circle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) together with Seven-step Improvement process.



Continual Service Improvement relies also on change management and capability improvement methodologies. Everything is oriented to align processes from Strategy to Operation, and thus comply to changing business requirements.

Purpose
Purpose of ITIL Continual Service Improvement is to ensure IT Services alignment with business needs. This is  done via improvements to IT services through Strategy, Design, Transition and Operation stages. We want to improve effectiveness of service, process and cost.

Objectives
I will quote these in a best effort to provide quality info under 'fair use' terms
  • Review, analyze, prioritize and make recommendations on improvement opportunities in each lifecycle stage
  • Review and analyze service level achievement
  • Identify and implement specific activities to improve IT service quality and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the enabling processes
  • Improve cost effectiveness of delivering IT services without sacrificing customer satisfaction
  • Ensure applicable quality management methods are used to support continual improvement activities
  • Ensure that processes have clearly defined objectives and measurements that lead to actionable improvements
  • Understand what to measure, why it is being measured and what the successful outcome should be
Scope
  • Overall ITSM health
  • Alignment of Service Portfolio with changing business needs
  • Organization maturity and capability
  • Continual improvement of all aspects IT services and supporting assets
Value
  • Continual service quality improvement
  • IT Services alignment to business needs
  • Cost effectiveness
  • Identification of improvement opportunities in all processes via monitoring and reporting
  • Identification of improvement opportunities org. Structures, resources, partners, technology, training and communications
Principles
Here are some Key principles:

CSI approach
It is a somewhat changed improvement approach from V2. here are steps and deliverables:
  • What is the vision? - Align with business vision, mission, goals and objectives
  • Where are we now? - Baseline assessments
  • Where do we want to be? - Measurable targets
  • How do we get there? - Service and process improvement
  • Did we get there? - Measurement and metrics
  • Feedback branch to beginning is How do we keep the momentum going? - Manage the implementation of improvement changes
ITIL Continual Service Improvement Mind Map
ITIL Continual Service Improvement Mind Map
Service Measurement
Why do we Measure?
  • To validate
  • To direct
  • To justify
  • To intervene
Baseline - current state of CI used as reference value for future comparisons

Vision to measurements:
  1. Vision
  2. Mission
  3. Goals
  4. Objectives
  5. CSF
  6. KPI
  7. Metrics
  8. Measurements
The seven-step improvement process
This is the only process in CSI, as title says it consists of seven steps, nicely mapped to a Deming's PDCA cycle and Knowledge management DIKW cycle. Picture is worth 1000 words. Enjoy:
CSI Seven-Step Improvement Process diagram
 CSI Seven-Step Improvement Process diagram

Apr 4, 2012

ITIL Service Operation

ITIL Service Operation
Finally! Service Operation is a real man's book. This is where it happens. Here we make money. All we do in Strategy, Design and Transition makes sense here. Service Provider does day-to-day activities of keeping the service available and customer happy.
If you are going to read any of the five books, my bet is that this will be the one. Since in the beginning we are all interested in consequences more than causes. 

Purpose
To do everything necessary for service delivery at agreed levels.

Objectives
  • Minimizing the adverse impact of service outages on business activities
  • Delivering and supporting the agreed services effectively and efficiently
  • Maintaining access to services for authorized customers (and no one else)

Scope
  • People
  • Processes (Service Management)
  • Technology
  • Services

Value
  • Reduced outage duration and frequency
  • Operational results and data provided
  • Enforcement of security policy

ITIL Service Operation Mind Map
ITIL Service Operation Mind Map



Service Operation Processes:

Incident Management
Key process, one of the oldest Service Support processes. If you know anything about ITIL, odds are that you know Incident Management. It is in charge of restoring disrupted service as soon as possible.

Event Management
This process was added in V3 to address emerging use of monitoring tools in IT and describe the relation to Incident Management from V2.

Request Fulfilment
This is another offspring of the holly Incident Management, cause of many an internet forum discussion 'What is Request Fulfilment?" or likes.  Definition is simple: Request Fulfilment manages customer requests. Which by definition can be: requests for info or advice; for a Standard Change or for access to an IT Service. Simple. Have a look at article about password reset.

Problem Management
As opposed to Incident Management, Problem Management seeks underlying causes of one or more incidents and through lifecycle of known error-workaround-permanent fix,  strives to minimize the adverse impact of problems to the business process. Problem Management can be reactive and proactive.

Access Management
Another new one in V3. This is actually a process which spends a lot of Operations time - handling customer access rights . New users, approvals, identity statuses, logging and tracking, removal of rights.


Service Operation Functions:

Service Desk
The only function in V2, Service Desk is the single point of contact (SPOC) and an interface to a user for all communication with service support, all Operation and most of Transition processes. With accent to Incident Management, Request Fulfilment and Event Management.

Technical Management
Technical Management takes care of technology competencies. It identifies, develops and refines the knowledge needed to design, test, manage and improve the service. It also manages trainings and deployment of resources.

IT Operations Management
Operations Management does daily operational activities needed for IT Infrastructure management. It consists of Operations Control which performs routine operational tasks, and Facilities Management which manages physical environment.

Application Management
Application Management was a separate book in V2. It is responsible for managing Applications across their lifecycle (Requirements-Design-Build-Deploy-Operate-Optimize).

Apr 2, 2012

ITIL Service Transition

Service Transition Banner


Service Transition is a stage which gives most pain to the IT Service Provider. Transition (add new, change existing, retire old service) is a source of many service disruptions. So we want our transition of service to be planned, built, tested, evaluated and deployed in an organized and controlled manner.
  
Purpose
To ensure that new or modified services are in conformance with business requirements, as defined in previous Strategy and Design stages, and that services which are no longer needed are properly retired.

Objectives
  • Efficiently and effectively plan and manage service changes
  • Manage change risks
  • Release planned changes
  • Manage expectations on new or changed services
  • Manage accurate knowledge and info on changed services and assets

Value
  • Better estimation of cost, timing, resource requirement and risks
  • Higher volumes of successful change
  • Reduce delays from unexpected clashes and dependencies
  • Reduced effort spent on managing test and pilot environments
  • Improved expectation setting for all stakeholders
  • Increased confidence that new or changed services can be delivered to specification without unexpectedly affecting other services or stakeholders
  • Ensure that new or changed services will be maintainable and cost- effective
  • Improved control of service assets and configurations.

Scope
Creating new and changing existing services, implementing new and changed services, service retirement. Plan-build-test-evaluate-deploy.

Key principles
  • Align service transition plans with the business needs
  • Implement all changes through transition
  • Adopt a common framework and standards
  • Maximize re-use of established processes and systems
  • Manage relationships with stakeholders
  • Manage systems for transfer of knowledge and decision support
  • Plan release packages
  • Proactively manage resources across transitions
ITIL V2011 Service Transition Mind Map
ITIL V2011 Service Transition Mind Map


Service Transition Processes:
  
Transition Planning and Support
Since Transition is so important, ITIL  defines the separate Transition Planning and Support process in order to manage and control changes and releases, from overall planning to specific transition resources management. The accent here is on standardization and best practices, managing of overall resources and helping with major changes and releases but not detailed planning of individual changes.
  
Change Management
Change Management is the key Transition process, and one of the key ITIL processes altogether. Since changes are the main cause of service disruptions, we want as much control of change as possible. In Change Management we ensure that all changes are recorded and evaluated. Authorized changes are prioritized, planned, tested, implemented, documented and reviewed. This way number of failed and unauthorized changes is significantly reduced, as well as number of resulting incidents and problems.
  
Service Asset & Configuration Management
This process was previously named Configuration Management and dealt with Configuration Management Database (CMDB). It looked and sounded too technical which scared off some new business-minded people in ITIL. In fact, Conf. Management was in charge of our knowledge of infrastructure: what do we have, where it is and how it works. To be more in spirit of the business aspect of this process, Asset management flavor was added, so now we follow lifecycle of IT assets from cradle to grave and actual info on this assets is available from all processes, any time.
  
Release and Deployment Management
Previous Release Management was the most difficult to explain in an "Elevator presentation", so deployment was added in order to enable Americans to get it quicker. It would be less confusing if it was called only Deployment management from the beginning. In a nutshell (or elevator :)) RDM deals with consequences of Change Management process: build, test and deployment of releases.
  
Service Validation and Testing
This one is a separate process since it is a discipline used throughout the lifecycle, mainly from Change and Release management. Service Validation and Testing will ensure that the service will deliver expected outcomes, and that it is 'fit for purpose' and 'fit for use' (Utility and Warranty, remember them from Strategy?).
  
Change Evaluation
This was 'Evaluation' in V3, and probably since no one knew what it relates to, they added 'Change' in 2011. So now we know it is a process which deals with evaluation of change. It is implemented to identify all predicted and unpredicted change effects. Smaller changes can be evaluated within Change Management, and for more significant changes (up to company to decide).  It is triggered before every approval point.
  
Knowledge Management
Knowledge Management was such a hype in 90's! Here in ITIL Service Transition, it is added as a nice to have process which is even in the foundations syllabus. General idea is to capture and manage knowledge as Service Provider's intellectual property. Methods are classic KM, I even recommend the reading since it is digest version of all I once knew about Knowledge Management.

Mar 22, 2012

ITIL Service Design

ITIL Service Design
Service Design connects the Strategy with Transition and Operation, providing tools to create and redesign services aligned with strategic objectives. It takes care that service management is fully aligned with business needs and uses its capabilities in an efficient and resilient manner.

Purpose
To design IT Services in a cost-effective, secure manner and in accordance to Service Strategy, and to take care of designed service delivery having in mind customer satisfaction.
A set of design governance documents is defined: methods, best practices, procedures and policies.

Objective
Effective IT Service design using continual improvement methods, ensuring service alignment with existing and new business requirements.

Five Aspects of Service Design
deal with designing:
 • service solutions for new or changed services
 • management information systems and tools
 • technology architectures and management architectures
 • processes
 • measurement methods and metrics

Four Ps:
(we remember them as People, Processes, Technology from last version)
 • People
 • Processes
 • Products (services, technologies, tools)
 • Partners (manufacturers, supplier,  vendors)

Service Design Package (SDP)
Definition: "Service Design Documents defining all aspects of an IT Service and its Requirements through each stage of its Lifecycle. A Service Design Package is produced for each new IT Service, major Change, or IT Service Retirement"

ITIL V2011 Service Design Mind Map

Service Design processes:

Service Catalogue Management
Deals with management of information about all live services. Info has to be accurate and current.

Availability Management
One of the oldest ITIL processes, connected to SLM. Ensures that delivered services availability is in accordance with the agreed levels. Of course, in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Capacity Management
Another V2 veteran: Capacity Management wants to ensure that IT capacity (infrastructure and services) meets the agreed requirements in a cost effective (and timely, of course) manner. Capacity management spans through all ITIL lifecycles, since cost-effectiveness and efficiency are among the basic reasons for ITIL existence.

IT Service Continuity Management
IT Service Continuity Management (ITSCM) process is responsible for the alignment of IT services to Business Continuity Management.

Service Level Management
This is a matured key process, SLM ensures that all services are delivered as agreed. It is tightly coupled with other processes emerged from Service Delivery group. Main purpose of SLM is to improve communication and understanding of Business and Service Provider.

Design Coordination
New in ITIL 2011, this process became the central point of communication and control for all processes in Service Design stage.
Design Coordination process is in charge of all design activities, whether they are done through projects or Change Management. It ensures consistent design of services which are aligned with Service Strategy and will be properly prepared for Transition.

Information Security Management
ISM is a governance process which ensures that information security policy  is aligned with business security. ISM maintains and enforces the security policy.

Supplier Management
A fresh process which was probably introduced for better compliance with ISO/IEC 20000, same as Business Relationship Management in Service Strategy. Supplier Management ensures getting value for money from suppliers. All activities are included: negotiation, agreements, supplier performance management, seamless integration of underpinning contracts and delivered services.

Mar 13, 2012

ITIL Service Strategy

ITIL Service Strategy
Service Strategy has the central position in the circular ITIL lifecycle model.
By a broader definition, strategy is a plan devised to achieve a long-term aim. Service strategy is therefore a systematic long-term plan designed by the IT service organization to achieve defined objectives.

A good service strategy should define a way to create and deliver a better value to the customer.
Main objective of service strategy is to recognize competitors and have them in mind when considering services which will in some way be better than the competition's.

Service management is regarded as a strategic asset in the service strategy stage.
Service Strategy deals with
  • developing service markets
  • service provider types
  • development of a service portfolio
  • financial aspects of service management
  • business relationships and others.
Strategy provides the tools and guidance to an organization to step back from daily operation and view existing services in terms of
  • costs
  • risks involved
  • their performance
Strategy is about the pure cause of services, not about effects and how-to’s.

Service Strategy deals with some key principles:
  • Utility and warranty
    • Utility is "what is the service"/fit dor purpose.
    • Warranty is "how it works"/fit for use.
  • Value Creation - what does the service do for the customer and how he/she sees it.
  • Assets -anything that can help us to deliver the service. Assets are either resources or capabilities.
    • Resource - a kind of physical assets: infrastructure elements, people, financial capital, applications.
    • Capabilities - intangible assets: usualy the ability to create value.
  • Patterns of Business Activity (PBA) every cutomer has activities which generate demand for services.
  • Governance - defines how we implement and follow strategy, policies and processes.

ITIL Service Strategy Mind Map
ITIL V2011 Service Strategy Mind Map


Service Strategy Processes:

Service Portfolio Management
A service organization manages investments in services across the lifecycle by exercising Service Portfolio Management.
Service Portfolio Management enables customers to understand what services are available, why they should use them (and why from this provider) and what will be the costs. Also to govern the services in such a way to support Service Strategy.
It enables a service organization to determine weaknesses and strengths of their portfolio, what the priorities and weaknesses of their investment are and how to allocate resources according to these priorities and risks.
Service Portfolio Management deals with
  • services which will be delivered (pipeline)
  • services which are being delivered (catalogue)
  • withdrawn services (retired)

Financial management for IT services
Financial management enables the service organization to measure the value of IT services and underpinning assets. It manages cost-effectiveness of IT Service Management.
Service organizations use Financial management  to achieve Better decision making, Change Speed, Better Service Portfolio Management, Financial and Operational control, Sense of service value.
In ITIL 2011 returned to key activities from earlier versions:
  • Accounting
  • Budgeting
  • Charging
Demand modeling is focused on TCO of service provision to the customer.
Return of Investment (ROI) is the main value of an investment.

Business Relationship Management
This is a newly defined process in Service Strategy. Here is the culprit for the fact that Measurement and Reporting are not in CSI any more. Anyway, this is a welcome change. BRM existed for some time in ISO/IEC20000 and is widely recognized as a crucial process in IT Service Management. Its main purpose is to support most of other processes in all lifecycle stages - by helping Service organization and Business to better understand each other. Which is, as we know, the basic means/goal to all ITSM organized voyages. If Business and IT don't make an effort to speak the same language, to understand each other's pains, then all the other endeavors are meaningless.

Demand Management
Another new  process! Previously, Demand Management was dealt with inside of Capacity Management. On primary ITSM levels, it is the right place for Demand Management. But since we started dealing with Strategy and Design lifecycle stages, we saw Demand as the crucial driver for them. So here it is.



Service Strategy is the most boring ITIL book. It was most thoroughly rewritten in 2011., and it still helps me to fall asleep when all other methods fail :)
On the other hand, it contains some very important concepts and aspects of Service Management which tend to be more and more interesting as you gather experience working in IT industry.

Feb 13, 2012

ITIL 2011 Processes

Here is a clear and organized table of ITIL 2011 processes for you. What is where, what is important, what is old and new:

ITIL 2011 Processes table
ITIL 2011 Processes Table


There are some changes from 2007 edition.

What is not so obvious from this table, most of the changes happened in Service Strategy. Strategy Generation is not treated as a process any more, rest of the processes are more uniformly described. New processes are Strategy management for IT Services and Business Relationship Management.

Some interesting changes in Service Design also: processes are better described and aligned, I like to see clarified Pipeline to Catalogue transition. New process is Design Coordination.

Less radical changes in Service Transition. Understandable, since these were mature processes. Except for Evaluation, which is now called Change Evaluation process.

Least changes in Service Operation. Of course, new Service Fulfillment and Event Management additionally clarified. Interesting , but not unexpected, Problem Management was polished some more. Looks like Problem Management was problematic from the beginning :)

Continual Service Improvement: of course, more changes. CSI model is now CSI approach. 7-step process has seven steps :)  What bothers  me a little is that Service Measurement and Reporting are not processes any more. Where I work, these are most important processes and the right place for them is in CSI.


Functions
All four functions are still Defined in Service Operation:
  • Service Desk
  • Technical Management
  • IT Operations Management
  • Application Management

Generally, I like the way things are developing. This is probably not the last of changes we will see in ITIL. TSO and Cabinet Office people are taking care of their baby.

Feb 10, 2012

ITIL 2011 - What Happened?

ITIL Lifecycle Suite 2011 Edition
As you can see in an excellent ITIL History article on this blog, ITIL has come a long way from first publications in late 80's. In July 2011 ITIL V3 was updated to 2011 edition.
Now folks, let's get down to basics. I will slowly go through changes and events and talk a little bit about every ITIL Lifecycle stage and what happened where. I am talking about my following posts here, of course. Those who know me understand the emphasis on SLOWLY here :)


So, we received a package of books which are 57% heavier (2,5kg increase) and have 46% more pages (+600) comparing to "old" 2007 V3 edition. Apparently, this increase was mostly due to thorough Service Strategy book rewrite, and of course a larger font used.

Service Strategy was the most vague and least accepted in larger ITSM community, so it really needed some serious rewriting. Other books were also improved to some point, a few new processes introduced, obvious ambiguities and errors removed (some new created), so the whole package looks more polished and admissible by the critical members of the community.

Complete list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found on APMG's ITIL Official Site on this page http://www.itil-officialsite.com/Publications/ITILPublicationUpdates.aspx  .

Also, a very fine summary of 2011 updates can be found on the same page. Look for ITIL 2011 Summary of Updates .

People at ILX Group were so kind to update their popular ITIL Process Model available free for download here: http://www.ilxgroup.com/downloads/itil-2011-process-model.pdf

Con
Critics among us will keep the mantra that the whole thing is a bit out of date and clinging to it's 80's roots, not referring enough to modern concepts of Clouds, Agile and Virtualization.
Also, they say that the vastness of material is repelling, supporting the complex Qualification scheme http://www.itil-officialsite.com/Qualifications/ITILQualificationScheme.aspx in a self-serving purpose to make more money.

Pro
On the other side, attaching tighter to modern technologies brings the danger of quicker obsolescence. Polishing general concepts made ITIL go this far, so "descriptive not prescriptive" motto lives on.
2000 pages is a lot, but it is fair to give the authors credit of the intention to cover adequately all topics in an integral baseline set of books.
For executives, beginners and innocent passers-by, Compact/Digest editions will probably follow soon, like this fine pocket book: http://itservicemngmt.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-itil-foundation-handbook-released.html

Anyway, most reviewers are happy with the overall 2011 update. Are you?

As I said, I intend to go through all five lifecycles in the following articles. Stay tuned.