Managing The Virtual World Is An Evolution, Not A Revolution

Adoption of virtual server technologies is expanding at breakneck speed because they offer flexibility and productivity benefits. As the complexity of virtualization is becoming obvious, however, continued expansion threatens to hamper productivity and service reliability. Like every technology that has come before it, the route to success with virtualization lies in solid, standardized processes and management software to automate and govern the execution of these processes. Many options exist — too many, in fact — and you must evaluate these options to minimize the risk of additional complexity and vendor dissolution. Process discipline and streamlined management automation were already operational mandates, but the advent of virtualization on industry-standard servers exacerbates these requirements. Invest wisely in these technologies to avoid getting stranded with limited point solutions that offer little hope of integration into the broader initiatives for operational excellence.