A survey by IDC has revealed a shift in IT
organisations' approach to virtualisation management. They are now
adopting a more strategic approach in order to make sure it
delivers promised benefits.
IDC's Industry Insights Information Technology Management
Service (ITMS) survey found that four-fifths of companies are
adding virtual machines to their systems management portfolio. Only
a tenth had incorporated virtualisation as part of an overarching
IT portfolio management strategy, although 80% are beginning to
make the effort to coordinate.
"While IT professionals strongly support virtualisation, right
now their main focus is on how to implement it and make that
transition within their organisation," said Melinda-Carol Ballou,
IDC Industry Insights ITMS principal analyst covering portfolio
management.
"This is understandable; however there are many benefits to
managing these efforts as part of a proactive, coordinated IT
management strategy. Moving forward, IT leaders now need to lay the
groundwork to incorporate virtualisation into an overall portfolio
management approach."
Within two years of deploying virtualisation, Industry Insights
ITMS analysts predict IT organisations will shift their tactical
perspective on virtualisation management to a strategic project
spanning multiple IT groups.
In addition to portfolio management trends, the survey also
reveals that respondents view their existing IT chargeback (the IT
expenses that are charged back to individual business units)
processes as moderately effective and fair.
Yet even though the majority of companies report having begun
deploying virtualisation, only half are factoring virtualisation
resources into their chargeback methodologies.
The march of virtualisation is relentless. What this survey
shows is that not only do firms have to accept it as a standard
practice; they will also have to shape up their management
practices in order to cope with it.
The cost savings from doing so can be significant and IT
organisations must make the management of a virtual infrastructure
a strategic initiative.
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