Originally published November 2016 | Updated May 2025 In the earlier days of ITIL® education, we often referenced “RCV” - shorthand for Release, Control, and Validation - a lifecycle-based intermediate course in ITIL v3. While ITIL 4 has moved away from that structure, understanding RCV still provides important historical context and insight into key practices that continue to drive value in modern service management. A Quick Flashback: RCV in ITIL v3  RCV was one of the five ITIL v3 Lifecycle modules, focusing on ensuring that changes to services are properly managed, tested, and deployed. The primary goal? Minimize risk while improving the business's ability to adapt to changing requirements. The core practices in the RCV module included: Change Management (now evolved into Change Enablement) Release and Deployment Management Service Validation and Testing Service Asset and Configuration Management Evaluation and Knowledge Management These processes hel...

Note: this was originally published in 2016 and explains the ITIL V3 lifecycle phase "Release, Control, and Validation (RCV)." In 2024, the ITIL 4, the concepts of RCV are integrated into various practices, notably Change Enablement, Release Management, and Service Validation and Testing, which are essential for managing and ensuring successful service changes, releases, and validations.  For a more detailed understanding, ITIL 4 Specialist modules like " Create, Deliver and Support " offer comprehensive coverage of these practices in a modern context. --- I was recently asked the following: “I want to take the “Release, Control and Validation” (RCV) class. As a Release Manager, I know it will help but I need to justify this for my manager. What is the value of taking this class?” Every organization can be effective with release and deployments. What is needed today is for us not only to get the job done but to do it efficiently. Efficiency infers that we deliv...