This publication introduces IT service management and ITIL. It summarises the best practices described in the 2011 editions core guidance, explaining the basic concepts of ITIL and providing information on each stage of the service lifecycle. Introduces the basic concepts of the ITIL service lifecycle, and its benefits. Provides a summary of each of the five stages of the lifecycle. Includes references to the five core publications, providing an essential companion to them. Includes information on ITIL and cloud computing.