Hello,

In response to this intriguing topic, which I previously recorded a Podcast on, I have a few comments I wanted to add to the conversation:

•Tip #1: In the context of justifying the investment, it is also important not to lose sight of the drivers that make an IT organization look at server virtualization in the first place. Cost take-out is a natural one, but it too easily overshadows benefits like time-to-market, improved application release and testing etc, that are traditionally more difficult to quantify, but can be critical in getting executive buy-in; these talk directly about IT’s ability to better serve the business, not only improve its own internal operation.
•Tip #3: as part of the plan, one should also keep in mind that virtual servers typically require adjustments to how the IT environment is supported. While this is often an afterthought when starting small (as you rightly conclude), scaling a virtual server environment to the enterprise typically requires skilled staff, updated operational processes, and changes to existing tools like your Configuration Management Database (CMDB). It’s better to plan early.
•Tip #5: excellent point, as there is nothing that can doom future virtualization initiatives as fast as having users go through a bad first experience. For example, as I discussed in another Podcast on virtual desktops, it will be extremely difficult to introduce a much more user-facing virtualization technology like virtual desktops, if users are already wary of virtual servers.

Thanks again for the opportunity to add some insight on this fascinating topic.

Regards,

Laurent Mandorla
www.bearingpoint.com