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Part 4: Why ITIL is Still Relevant in the Era of Cloud and XaaS

  • Nov 7
  • 2 min read

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Introduction

With cloud, SaaS, and “everything-as-a-service” dominating IT, some argue that ITIL is outdated. After all, do we still need structured frameworks when services are fast, automated, and flexible?


The short answer: Yes. In fact, ITIL is more relevant than ever, especially for MSPs delivering services in a hybrid, cloud-first world.


The Myth: ITIL is Obsolete in the Cloud Era

Cloud providers promise agility and scalability. Agile and DevOps teams emphasize speed. This leads some to believe ITIL’s structured processes slow things down.


But here’s the reality: without structure, cloud services can become chaotic, risky, and inconsistent. Clients don’t just want speed - they want reliability and trust.


The Reality: ITIL Complements Cloud and XaaS

ITIL doesn’t compete with cloud - it enhances it. Here’s how:


  • Incident Management: Critical for monitoring SaaS or IaaS uptime and quickly addressing outages.

  • Change Enablement: Prevents rushed updates from disrupting cloud-based systems.

  • Service Request Management: Standardizes client access to cloud resources.

  • Problem Management: Identifies recurring issues across complex multi-cloud environments.


MSP Differentiation Through ITIL

MSPs compete not only on technology, but on consistency and client experience. ITIL provides:


  • Governance: Ensuring compliance in regulated industries using cloud.

  • Transparency: Documented processes reassure clients of stability.

  • Proactivity: Continual improvement ensures services evolve alongside client needs.


Example: ITIL in Action for Cloud Services

An MSP managing Microsoft 365 for multiple clients uses ITIL practices to:


  • Track incidents across tenants.

  • Standardize onboarding requests for new users.

  • Implement change controls for security settings.

  • Analyze recurring login issues and resolve root causes.


The result? Clients experience cloud services that are stable, secure, and predictable.


Conclusion

Far from being outdated, ITIL provides the structure MSPs need to thrive in the cloud era. By combining ITIL’s proven practices with the speed and scalability of cloud, MSPs can deliver services that are not only agile but also reliable, consistent, and value-driven.

 
 
 

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