Although database consolidation has traditionally been thought of as a risky practice, recent improvements to SQL Server make it a reliable platform for consolidation. Organizations that are not yet consolidating are wasting resources.
Identify the most appropriate consolidation model and, if needed, the best strategy for upgrading to SQL Server 2012. Organizations should then complete thorough planning, starting from inventorying all the databases and identifying candidates for consolidation, and finishing with a pilot project. The research goes on to describe the steps in the production environment including upgrading the server, consolidating the workloads, stabilizing the environment, and decommissioning the source servers.
Use this research to help:
- Understand the value of consolidation for your organization.
- Select the appropriate consolidation model for your organization.
- Effectively execute the 5-step implementation process.
- Identify the right tools available from Microsoft and third parties to facilitate implementation.
Having an effective strategy and step-by-step model will allow you to avoid the difficulties of database consolidation and to achieve a higher consolidation ratio in the end.
