Top 10 requirements for effective server consolidation

According to Gartner, over 60% of enterprise-level IT managers have server consolidation projects underway. The reason is clear: Although server acquisition costs are low, IT managers are often surprised by the high total cost of ownership (TCO). Forrester Research estimates that for each server, Windows licenses and maintenance costs total $5,800 per year. Furthermore, for IT managers, the real costs go beyond dollars. For them, server maintenance takes a personal toll, as nights and weekends often become the only times available to perform critical tasks and system updates. It's no surprise that these managers are looking for new solutions.