What is ITSM, and what are the core ITIL processes that ServiceNow supports out of the box?

What This Question Really Tests

Almost every ServiceNow role touches ITSM (IT Service Management). Interviewers ask this to verify you understand the foundational processes — not just the tool, but the framework behind it.

The Answer

ITSM is a set of practices for managing IT services to meet business needs. ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is the most widely adopted framework that defines these practices. ServiceNow implements ITIL processes as ready-to-use modules.

The Core ITIL Processes in ServiceNow

• Incident Management: Something is broken right now. A user can't log in, a server is down, email isn't working. Goal: restore normal service as fast as possible. ServiceNow table: incident.
• Problem Management: WHY did it break? After the fire is out, investigate the root cause so it doesn't happen again. A problem can be linked to multiple incidents. Table: problem.
• Change Management: We want to make a change to the environment — deploy new code, patch a server, upgrade a network switch. Changes go through an approval and risk assessment process before implementation. Table: change_request.
• Service Request Management: An employee needs something — a new laptop, software access, a VPN account. These are standard, pre-approved requests fulfilled through the Service Catalog. Table: sc_request / sc_req_item.
• Knowledge Management: Documentation and self-service articles so users can solve common issues themselves. 'How do I reset my password?' → Knowledge Base article. Table: kb_knowledge.

How They Connect

// Real-world flow:
// 1. 50 users report 'email is slow' → 50 Incidents created
// 2. Service Desk links all 50 to one Problem → 'Exchange server memory leak'
// 3. Problem team identifies fix → Creates a Change Request
// 4. Change goes through CAB approval → Scheduled for Saturday night
// 5. Change implemented → Problem resolved → All 50 Incidents auto-closed
// 6. Knowledge article created: 'What to do if email is slow'