The ITIL Service Transition stage of the ITIL v3 framework offers guidance for IT professionals wishing to introduce new and changed services, ensuring that the value identified in the service strategy is maintained and controlling risks to smooth operations. The guidance describes best practices for managing service change, and helping departments and businesses to transition efficiently, from one state to another. The effect of change on operations, customers, users and the business are all considered in this critical stage of the ITIL lifecycle suite. ITIL Service Operation 'has removed some of the previous ambiguity, and improved consistency, especially around roles and responsibilities, particularly technical management, IT operations and applications management. Chris Pierce, Metropolitan Police Service --Best Management Pratice The inclusion of proactive problem management and additional analysis techniques[in ITIL Service Operation are of great value. Horacio Gutiérrez Gutiérrez, PSS México --Best Management Pratice Most of the inconsistencies made in the first edition are removed during the update of the ITIL V3 core books. This is a great improvement...' Frank Eggert, MATERNA GmbH --Best Management Pratice The inclusion of proactive problem management and additional analysis techniques[in ITIL Service Operation are of great value. Horacio Gutiérrez Gutiérrez, PSS México --Best Management Pratice Most of the inconsistencies made in the first edition are removed during the update of the ITIL V3 core books. This is a great improvement...' Frank Eggert, MATERNA GmbH --Best Management Pratice Summary of Updates from the Author 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 has 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.