ISO/IEC 20000 is an international standard for IT service management. It consists of several parts that specify requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an IT service management system (SMS). ISO/IEC 20000-1 focuses on the SMS requirements. Benefits of certification include an integrated SMS, better alignment of IT services to business needs, improved reputation, and defined roles and responsibilities to remove bottlenecks. While certification requires significant resources, it helps organizations provide better IT services and gain a competitive advantage in the market.