Finding the best answer usually requires knowing the right question

I was speaking with a Kusnetzky Group client at dinner list night. We came to the conclusion that often when organizations have trouble implementing a virtualization solution, they have not really analyzed their environment to the point that they knew the correct questions. So, the answers that they implement don't always live up to their expectations. Their answers are often constructed based upon well-known, highly marketed technology rather than the necessary tools

Before walking the road to a more virtualized environment, it's crucial to know where you're going and have developed a roadmap. Organizations that do not take the time to think through issues such as performance, scalability, security, manageability and reliability commonly find the path that they've chosen doesn't lead them to the promised land. They haven't spoken with their peers who are doing similar things and facing similar issues.

Since most of the major virtual machine software suppliers now are offering a free version of their software, some organizations think that planning isn't a necessary step.

What does your organization do to develop a cohesive, comprehensive virtualization architecture?