Information Technology Insight

During my time in I.T., I’ve been fortunate to see many attempts to control server sprawl through server consolidation initiatives.   While server consolidation is certainly a worthwile goal, most efforts to reach it ultimately fail for lack of proper planning and failure to take the proper steps in the correct order.   Over the next few weeks, I plan to blog here on a recommended sequence of steps for a successful consolidation effort.

 Most consolidation initiatives initially focus on hardware (e.g. servers, networks, storage, etc…).   While this is certainly a focus that must be addressed at some point, it is a mistake to make this the initial focus of a consolidation effort.  The exception to this rule may be when an organization uses hardware footprint reduction as one of the metrics to determine success or failure for a consolidation project.

 Step One : Address Organizational Culture

Numerous technologies are available today which facilitate the consolidation of servers. Multiple infrastructure management strategies also exist which can sometimes help reduce server sprawl by leveraging existing resources.    Before an organization can realize maximum benefits from these, however, various organizational and administrative issues should be addressed. Once this is completed, one can be successful in consolidating existing workloads as well as driving new implementations toward a consolidated architecture.   A clear governance framework should be adopted to ensure that new infrastructure is vetted against the organization’s strategic direction.

Server consolidation should not be considered a project, but a new way of operating a data center. As such, success in this area must begin with a statement of direction by senior management. Policies describing the strategic direction for the organization should be created. These should lay out a direction which includes server consolidation and describes clearly expected benefits and metrics for success. Standard ProcessesStandard processes should be created which implement the goals documented by the governance policies mentioned above. Standard processes will help management to more effectively control technology purchases and decisions and drive them in the strategic direction.

Change Control/Configuration Management

Once standard processes have been implemented, the organization should focus on ensuring that an effective change control and configuration management framework. This is essential so that a process is in place to provide stakeholder visibility into the daily operation of the environment. Change control will further help ensure that modifications to the infrastructure are inline with the organization’s stated goal of server consolidation.

Management Responsibility

Management must “buy in” and accept responsibility for the implementation of the server consolidation plan. Upper management must send the message across the entire organization and publicly/officially support the new direction. This is essential for success. In the coming weeks I’ll post on Step Two : Workload Inventory.

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