What is the primary objective of **ITIL**?

**The primary objective of ITIL is to align IT services with business objectives through best-practice guidelines for IT Service Management (ITSM).** ITIL 4's Service Value System (SVS) drives value co-creation via guiding principles, governance, the Service Value Chain with six activities (Plan, Improve, Engage, Design & Transition, Obtain/Build, Deliver & Support), 34 practices across general, service, and technical categories, and continual improvement.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **ITIL**?

**No organizations are legally required to comply with ITIL, as it is a voluntary best-practices framework for ITSM.** Professionally, IT leaders, service managers, and ITSM practitioners in enterprises adopt it for alignment, with 87% global IT organizations using it; certifications from PeopleCert (Foundation to Managing Professional/Strategic Leader) are recommended for roles like Service Owner and Process Owner.

Does **ITIL** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**ITIL does not require external audits or third-party certification, being a set of customizable guidelines rather than a certifiable standard.** Organizations may pursue ISO/IEC 20000 certification, which aligns with ITIL practices, but ITIL itself focuses on internal adoption via assessments, gap analysis, and continual improvement without mandatory external validation.

How often should an assessment for **ITIL** be performed?

**ITIL assessments should be performed continually as part of the SVS's continual improvement model, with formal gap analyses conducted during initial implementation and periodically thereafter.** The seven-step Continual Service Improvement (CSI) process from ITIL v3, evolved in ITIL 4, mandates ongoing measurement of KPIs like incident resolution times and change success rates, typically reviewed quarterly or after major changes.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **ITIL**?

**Non-compliance with ITIL carries no legal penalties, as it is not a regulatory mandate, but results in operational risks like inefficiencies, higher downtime, and missed ROI.** Adopters report benefits such as 20% faster incident resolution and up to 38:1 ROI (e.g., DISA case); failure leads to siloed IT, cultural resistance, and unmitigated risks like $3M+ data breaches without cyber-resilient practices.

An **ITIL** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, ITIL can be mapped to other international frameworks due to its flexible, practice-based structure in ITIL 4.** Its 34 practices and SVS align with Agile, DevOps, Lean, and standards like ISO/IEC 20000, enabling integrations such as CMDB with SRE error budgets or value streams with PRINCE2, while supporting high-velocity IT environments.

What is the first step to begin implementing **ITIL**?

**The first step to implement ITIL is Project Preparation, securing executive sponsorship and defining scope via a business case.** Follow the ten-step roadmap: develop the case quantifying ROI, define roles (e.g., RACI for practices), and conduct an ITIL assessment to gap-analyze current processes against the SVS, starting where you are per guiding principles.

What is the primary objective of **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) establishes a graded cybersecurity protection system for all network operators in China, ensuring security controls match the potential impact of system compromise on national security, social order, and public interests.** It classifies systems into five levels (1-5) based on harm severity to individuals, organizations, or national stability, mandating technical, management, physical, and personnel controls via standards like GB/T 22239-2019, GB/T 25070-2019, and GB/T 28448-2019.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**All network operators in mainland China must comply with MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme), including domestic enterprises, foreign-invested firms, cloud providers, and critical infrastructure operators.** This encompasses virtually any entity managing IT systems, cloud services, IoT, big data, or industrial controls under the 2017 Cybersecurity Law (Article 21), enforced by Ministry of Public Security and local Public Security Bureaus (PSBs).

Does **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) mandates external security reviews by licensed Chinese firms for Level 2+ systems, with PSB approval required.** Reviews score compliance (minimum 75/100) across technical, management, and physical domains; Level 3+ needs annual evaluations, including documentation, on-site inspections, and formal certification filing.

How often should an assessment for **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)** be performed?

**MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) requires periodic re-evaluations scaling by level: biennial for Level 2, annual for Level 3, semi-annual for Level 4, and as mandated for Level 5.** Self-assessments occur continuously, with third-party audits and PSB verifications triggered by major changes like architecture updates or incidents.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**Non-compliance with MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) results in administrative fines up to 100,000 yuan, operational suspensions, system shutdowns, and intensified PSB inspections.** Enforcement links to business license renewals; severe cases involve blacklisting or criminal liability, as seen in fines exceeding RMB 200 million for data breaches tied to MLPS failures.

An **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) control domains align with frameworks like ISO 27001 and NIST CSF, facilitating gap analysis and integration.** Organizational, physical, and technical controls map to ISO Annex A and NIST categories, though MLPS adds prescriptive grading, data localization, and PSB oversight unique to Chinese law.

What is the first step to begin implementing **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**The first step for MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) implementation is conducting a provisional self-assessment to classify systems into Levels 1-5 based on impact criteria.** Inventory assets, evaluate harm to national security/social order per GB/T 22239-2019, document rationale, then file with local PSB within 30 days for Level 2+ systems.

ITIL vs MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)

Standards Comparison

ITIL

Voluntary

2019

Best-practices framework for IT service management

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)

Mandatory

N/A

China's regulation for graded cybersecurity protection scheme

Quick Verdict

ITIL provides voluntary ITSM best practices globally for service excellence, while MLPS 2.0 mandates graded cybersecurity in China with strict enforcement. Companies adopt ITIL for efficiency and MLPS for legal compliance.

IT Service Management

ITIL

ITIL 4 IT Service Management Framework

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Service Value System with 34 flexible practices
Seven guiding principles for value-driven decisions
Four dimensions of service management
Continual improvement register and model
Service Value Chain with six activities

Standard

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)

Multi-Level Protection Scheme 2.0

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Five-level classification based on societal impact
Mandatory registration and PSB approval for Level 2+
Graded technical, governance, physical controls
Third-party audits with 75/100 passing score
Enforcement by Public Security Bureaus

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

ITIL Details

What It Is

ITIL 4, the IT Service Management framework, provides best-practice guidelines for aligning IT services with business needs. Its value-driven approach uses the Service Value System (SVS) to manage the full service lifecycle, emphasizing flexibility over rigidity.

Key Components

SVS elements: guiding principles, governance, Service Value Chain, 34 practices, continual improvement.
Categorized into 14 general, 17 service, 3 technical practices.
**Four dimensionsorganizations/people, information/technology, partners/suppliers, value streams/processes.
Seven guiding principles like Focus on Value, Progress Iteratively.
Certification via PeopleCert from Foundation to Strategic Leader.

Why Organizations Use It

Drives cost efficiencies, risk reduction, 87% adoption for service quality. Enhances alignment, customer satisfaction, DevOps integration. Builds stakeholder trust through proven ROI like 38:1.

Implementation Overview

Phased ten-step roadmap: assessment, gap analysis, training, pilots. Suits all sizes/industries; tailor practices. No mandatory audits, voluntary certification.

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) Details

What It Is

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme 2.0) is China's mandatory regulatory framework for cybersecurity graded protection, operationalizing Article 21 of the Cybersecurity Law. It applies to all network operators, classifying systems into five levels based on potential harm to national security, social order, and public interests using an impact-based methodology.

Key Components

Core domains: physical security, network protection, data security, access control, monitoring, governance.
Common controls for all levels plus extended requirements for cloud, IoT, big data, ICS.
Built on national standards like GB/T 22239-2019; compliance via self-assessment, expert review, PSB approval.
Third-party audits scoring ≥75/100 for Level 2+.

Why Organizations Use It

Legal mandate enforced by Public Security Bureaus with fines, inspections.
Enhances risk management, resilience; required for licenses, market access in China.
Builds regulator trust, avoids sanctions; aligns with data laws like PIPL.

Implementation Overview

Phased: scoping, classification, gap analysis, remediation, audits, ongoing monitoring.
Targets China-based networks; complex for multinationals. Mandatory external reviews for Level 2+; periodic re-evaluations.

Key Differences

Aspect	ITIL	MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)
Scope	ITSM best practices, service lifecycle	Graded cybersecurity for networks/systems
Industry	All IT organizations worldwide	China network operators, all sectors
Nature	Voluntary framework, certifications	Mandatory regulation, PSB enforcement
Testing	Optional audits, self-assessments	Mandatory third-party audits, periodic
Penalties	No legal penalties	Fines, suspensions, inspections