Consolidate Your Data Centers
Benefits from data center consolidation are not guaranteed. Effective planning is the key to capture consolidation benefits.
- Data center operating costs continue to escalate as organizations struggle with data center sprawl.
- While data center consolidation is an attractive option to reduce cost and sprawl, the complexity of these projects makes them extremely difficulty to execute.
- The status quo is also not an option, as budget constraints and the challenges with managing multiple data centers continues to increase.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Despite consolidation being an effective way of addressing sprawl, it is often difficult to secure buy-in and funding from the business.
- Many consolidation projects suffer cost overruns due to unforeseen requirements and hidden interdependencies which could have been mitigated during the planning phase.
- Organizations that avoid consolidation projects due to their complexity are just deferring the challenge, while costs and inefficiencies continue to increase.
Impact and Result
- Successful data center consolidation will have an immediate impact on reducing data center sprawl. Maximize your chances of success by securing buy-in from the business.
- Avoid cost overruns and unforeseen requirements by engaging with the business at the start of the process. Clearly define business requirements and establish common expectations.
- While cost improvements often drive data center consolidation, successful projects will also improve scalability, operational efficiency, and data center redundancy.
Consolidate Your Data Centers Research & Tools
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should perform a data center consolidation, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.
1. Discover
Identify IT infrastructure systems and establish dependency bundles for the current and target sites.
2. Plan
Build a strong business case for data center consolidation by leveraging a TCO analysis and incorporating business requirements.
3. Execute
Streamline the move-day process through effective communication and clear delegation of duties.
4. Close
Close the loop on the data center consolidation project by conducting an effective project retrospective.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 13 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation 1: Discover
- Call 1: Leverage the project planning tool to organize tasks and projects.
- Call 2: Create and prioritize dependency bundles.
- Call 3: Use the consolidation workbook to capture consolidation requirements.
Guided Implementation 2: Plan
- Call 1: Paint a clear financial outlook for the business through a five-year TCO.
- Call 2: Clearly articulate business and IT requirements.
- Call 3: Identify and mitigate consolidation risks.
- Call 4: Assess and select an appropriate mover.
Guided Implementation 3: Execute
- Call 1: Create a minute-by-minute move-day script.
- Call 2: Leverage a communication plan to keep stakeholders engaged and accountable.
- Call 3: Clearly establish go/no-go criteria to ensure that the data center relocation is successful.
Guided Implementation 4: Close
- Call 1: Establish a project plan for the QA team that aligns with the move plan.
- Call 2: Follow best practices when decommissioning.
- Call 3: Document issue resolution and lessons learned for a smoother consolidation the next time around.
Contributors
- City of Spokane
- Saskatchewan Transportation
- Tripwire
- City of Austin
- Louis Dreyfus Highbridge Energy
- ASW Global
- Alberta Finance & Enterprise
- Independence First
- INVe SHARE
- Sims Metal Management
- Richardson
- Benco Dental Company
- American Equity Investment Life Insurance
- Weston Solutions
- Sirius International
- TripleT
- Gowans Research
- Dutch/European Standards Data Centers Committee
- 227 individuals completed a survey
Consolidate Your Data Centers
M&A Runbook for Infrastructure and Operations